Gaming set within J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth is still in a strong place. Currently there are board games, card games, roleplaying games, mobile games and PC/console games either available or in production.
There’s even a fantastic version of Middle-earth set up in Minecraft.
Currently
all games come through Middle-earth Enterprises (and not the Tolkien Estate). I
have explained the licensing situation here.
There have been some losses - in early 2021 Tencent/Leyou clashed with Amazon
Game Studios and their upcoming Lord of the Rings MMO was cancelled. Fantasy Flight
Games seems to be slowing production of their card and boards games but other
companies are stepping into the gaps.
I wrote about the Tencent/Leyou/Amazon clash here. It is unclear what Tencent will now do with the license they inherited from purchasing Leyou.
It will also be interesting to keep an eye on Amazon, it has been noted (here) that they also own merchandising rights to the TV series they are producing. Could we see games come out of those rights in the future?
Below
are the current games, based on the book license (hence no Games Workshop),
which are out or due to be released.
ARES GAMES
War of the Ring and Hunt
for the Ring
http://www.aresgames.eu/games/war-of-the-ring-line
Social media
https://www.facebook.com/AresGames
https://twitter.com/AresGamesSrl
Current products
- The War of the Ring Second Edition
- Lords of Middle-earth
- Warriors of Middle-earth
- The Battle of Five Armies
- Hunt for the Ring
- The Fate of Erebor
- Hunt for the Ring: Light and Shadow
- War of the Ring: Kings of Middle-earth
- Card
game based on the War of the Ring line? (Rumour: https://www.dicebreaker.com/series/war-of-the-ring/news/war-of-the-ring-card-game-revealed)
DAEDALIC ENTERTAINMENT/NACON
Lord of The Rings:
Gollum
https://www.daedalic.com/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1265780/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_Gollum/?curator_clanid=1738300
Expected release: 2022
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Type: PC and Platform game
Social
media
https://www.facebook.com/daedalic
https://twitter.com/daedalic
FANTASY
FLIGHT GAMES
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/index/
Type: Board and card games
Social
media
https://www.facebook.com/FantasyFlightGames
https://twitter.com/FFGames
The Lord of The
Rings Living Card Game
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-card-game/
Current
products (Lord of the Rings Living Card Game)
See:
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-card-game/
Expected
releases (Lord of the Rings Living Card Game)
Unknown – the last release was “The
Hunt for the Dreadnaught.” No further releases have been
Lord of the Rings
Living Card Game (Digital version)
https://www.asmodee-digital.com/en/lord-rings-adventure-card-game/
Journeys in
Middle-Earth
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-journeys-in-middle-earth/
Current
products (Journeys in Middle-earth)
- The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth
- Middle-earth Gamemat
- Villains of Eriador Figure Pack
- Shadowed Paths
- Dwellers in Darkness
- Hunt for the Ember Crown (DLC)
- The Haunting of Dale (DLC)
Expected
releases (Journeys in Middle-earth)
- Spreading War (Note: this is
the last big bog expansion for Journeys in Middle-earth)
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2021/7/8/spreading-war-announcement/
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-journeys-in-middle-earth/products/spreading-war/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuzRlxbp2yk (FFG unboxing video)
FRI
LIGAN (FREE LEAGUE)
The One Ring
Roleplaying Game / Adventures in Middle-Earth Rpg (D&D 5e)
https://frialigan.se/en/startpage/
Type: Tabletop RPG (Kickstarter)
Social
media
https://www.facebook.com/FreeLeaguePublishing
https://twitter.com/FreeLeaguePub
Expected release: Late 2021/2022
Expected products include -
- Core book – setting in central
Eriador – Bree and old Arnor (starting date of T.A. 2960)
- Starter set – Shire guide and adventures (Writer: James Michael Spahn)
- Loremasters’ Screen – Rivendell and Grey Havens booklet
- Tharbad book
- Moria (Writer: Gareth Ryder Hanrahan)
Newsletter #1: https://mailchi.mp/f9532265c0f0/the-one-ring-newsletter-1
Newsletter #2: https://mailchi.mp/9c0643282818/the-one-ring-newsletter-2
Newsletter #3: https://mailchi.mp/3a74279ca132/the-one-ring-newsletter-3
Free League YouTube: Fria Ligan
Showcase for The One Ring (27 September 2020)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaRwhmAw95o
Free League YouTube: Fellowship
forum (19 July 2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBIn19u1wvI
MAGIC: THE GATHERING (WIZARDS OF THE COAST)
Universes Beyond: The Lord of the Rings
https://magic.wizards.com/en
Type: Collectible card game
Social
media
https://www.facebook.com/MagicTheGathering
https://twitter.com/wizards_magic
Expected release: 2022
Press releases
https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/news/magics-voyages-universes-beyond-2021-02-25
https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/news/secret-lair-universes-beyond-update-2021-06-07
Exclusives through the Secret
Lair with “curated card drops”?
https://secretlair.wizards.com/uk
https://magic.wizards.com/en/secretlair
Update: 25 Aug 2021
Wizards of the Coast did an
upcoming set reveal at their Magic Showcase 2021 (39 mins in for therelevant piece) on Tuesday 24th August 2021 including the “Lord of the
Rings: Tales of Middle-earth” set.
Some details:
- Full booster set
- Tabletop, Magic Online and MTG Arena
- Four Commander decks
- Secret Lair drops
- Modern legal
- Release 2023
MITHRIL MINIATURES
Lord of the Rings
miniatures and accessories
https://mithril.ie/
Type: Gaming figures and accessories
Social
media
https://mithril.ie/facebook/
https://twitter.com/princeaugust
Current
products
Extensive
product list on website
Notes
Though not a producer of actual
games, Mithril Miniatures has been producing gaming accessories for over 30
years.
Mithril Miniatures does boxed
sets and also has a special “Fellowship Club” where you can suggest and vote on
new miniatures.
NETEASE AND WARNER BROS
Lord of the Rings: Rise to War
https://www.lotr-risetowar.com/index.html
Type: Mobile strategy game
Social
media
https://www.facebook.com/lotrrisetowar/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/lotrrisetowar/
Platform: Google Play
Expected release: Late 2021/2020? (still in BETA playtesting)
Press release
https://www.neteasegames.com/news/game/20200616/30576_886887.html
STANDING STONES GAMES
Lord of the Rings Online
https://www.lotro.com/en
Type: Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game (MMORPG)
Social
media
https://www.facebook.com/LOTRO
https://twitter.com/lotro
Current
update
Update
30.1.2: Blood of Azog
Expected
updates
Update 31: Gundabad (Fall 2021)
Notes - Change of publisher from Daybreak to Enad Global 7:
Daybreak became the new
publisher of Standing Stones Games (LOTRO & DDO) on 19 December 2016 after
Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment dropped the games. Swedish gaming
company EG7 announced the purchasing of Daybreak on 1 December 2020.
For reference:
- https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/02/everything-we-just-learned-about-daybreak-thanks-to-eg7/
- https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/01/daybreak-has-been-sold-again-this-time-to-eg7-global-for-300m/
- https://www.enadglobal7.com/press/7758700B9A777D34/
- https://www.enadglobal7.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EG7-Investor-Presentation-Dec-2020-Acquires-Daybreak-Games.pdf
ULTRA PRO/SOPHISTICATED GAMES
Battle for
Middle-earth and
Journey to Mordor
https://www.ultrapro.com/division.php?d=g
Type: Board games and card games
Social
media
https://www.facebook.com/UltraProInternational
https://twitter.com/UltraProIntl
Expected
releases
- The Lord of The Rings: Battle for
Middle Earth
https://ultraprogames.com/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-battle-for-middle-earth - The Lord of The Rings: Journey to
Mordor
https://ultraprogames.com/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-journey-to-mordor
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