Warhorse Studios Officially Announces Open-World Lord of the Rings Middle-earth RPG

Image via Warhouse Studio

Warhorse Studios has officially confirmed that it is developing a new open-world RPG set in Middle-earth, putting an end to months of rumors about the studio's next big project following the success of Kingdom Come: Deliverance and its sequel.

The announcement was made via the studio's official social media accounts, with Warhorse teasing fans with the message: "You might have heard the rumours, it's time to reveal what we are working on." Along with the announcement, the developer confirmed that another game in the Kingdom Come series is currently being developed.

Rather than calling the project a "Lord of the Rings" adaptation, Warhorse described it as a "open-world Middle-earth RPG." That wording has already sparked widespread speculation among fans, given that Middle-earth spans thousands of years of lore created by J. R. R. Tolkien. Many players believe the game could take place in a different era of Tolkien's universe rather than retelling the events of the famous trilogy.

The announcement represents a major change for Warhorse Studios, which became well-known for its realistic medieval gameplay and immersive storytelling in the Kingdom Come series. The developer said for creating detailed worlds in which player choices, clothing, reputation, and combat abilities all influenced gameplay and character interactions.

Many fans are looking forward to seeing how Warhorse Studios manages Middle-earth, given their strong reputation for realistic RPGs. Unlike previous Lord of the Rings games, which were more action-oriented, this new RPG could provide a slower and more immersive experience with survival elements, deep exploration, and realistic combat similar of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Even though gameplay details are still unknown, fans are already fantasizing about journeys through dangerous forests, ancient kingdoms, and war-torn lands in Tolkien's fantasy world.

The project is also part of Embracer Group's larger expansion efforts, which includes Warhorse Studios. The company recently announced the formation of Fellowship Entertainment, a new division aimed to handling major franchises such as Tomb Raider, Metro, Darksiders, Kingdom Come, and The Lord of the Rings.

At the same time, Warhorse announced that it will continue developing the Kingdom Come franchise with "a new Kingdom Come adventure." This means that the studio is now working on two major RPG projects at the same time, showing how far it has come since the original Kingdom Come in 2018.

The announcement created a lot of excitement among fans eager for a deep and immersive RPG set in Middle-earth. After several mixed Lord of the Rings games over the years, many fans believe Warhorse Studios will finally deliver the fantasy adventure they have long desired. While no release date or platform information has been announced, the project has already emerged as one of the most anticipated upcoming RPGs.