Electronic Arts is developing Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth, a new mobile role-playing game set in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world.
The project, which is a joint initiative helmed by both EA and Middle-earth Enterprises, is described as a free-to-play "collectible RPG that brings the fantasy and adventure of The Lord of the Rings to existing fans and new audiences alike in a strategic, social-competitive experience." The publisher goes on to state that the game will feature "immersive storytelling, turn-based combat" and will allow players to collect a wide variety of characters from both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
The announcement did not include a breakdown of the game's mechanics or systems but did confirm that it will function as a live-service experience as new content is continuously added to the title. Heroes of Middle-earth is expected to draw more inspiration from Tolkien's novels rather than Peter Jackson's film trilogy.
"We are incredibly excited to partner with The Saul Zaentz Company and Middle-earth Enterprises on the next generation of mobile role-playing games," said Malachi Boyle, Vice President of Mobile RPG for Electronic Arts. "The team is filled with fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and each day they bring their tremendous passion and talents together to deliver an authentic experience for players. The combination of high-fidelity graphics, cinematic animations, and stylized art immerses players in the fantasy of Middle-earth where they’ll go head-to-head with their favorite characters."
Electronic Arts has a long history with the Lord of the Rings franchise. The publisher was responsible for developing video game adaptions of Jackson's The Two Towers and The Return of the King films; It also published Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-earth and its sequel. While these adaptions earned praise from fans and critics, Warner Bros. eventually took over the publishing rights for the franchise, releasing titles such as LEGO Lord of the Rings and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.
Heroes of Middle-earth isn't the only upcoming game based on Tolkien's world. Daedelic Entertainment is currently developing The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, a third-person action-adventure game that sees players step into the role of the titular corrupted hobbit. The game is slated to release in 2022.
While The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth does not have a release date, the game is expected to enter limited regional beta testing in mid-2022.
Source: Electronic Arts