A Lord of the Rings Video Game? Amazon Still Believes

Amazon Games could be developing a video game related to The Lord of the Rings, after the cancellation (not official, but practically certain) of the MMORPG project. During an interview with Eurogamer, Jeff Grattis, the head of Amazon's Games division, confirmed the desire to create such a project. The manager emphasized: "Our creative team continues to explore a new and exciting gaming experience that does justice to Tolkien's world; we are working closely with Middle-earth Enterprises and remain enthusiastic about this intellectual property." The failure of the MMO project has not changed Amazon's mind, which is looking for new solutions to leverage the iconic brand.

Is there already a project in development?

Creating a project like this, however, is not that simple. Amazon Games has laid off several developers and is undergoing a reorganization in view of new projects, which may not include AAA titles (mainly due to budget issues). The brand of The Lord of the Rings is undoubtedly very strong but cannot be considered a guarantee of success, in the gaming field as well as in other entertainment sectors. Consequently, the project for a new title will need to be evaluated carefully. At the moment, it is unclear whether there is already a starting point for development, perhaps taking part of the work done for the MMORPG, or if the project will need to start from scratch. Further information on this matter may come in the next few months. It is worth noting that there is currently a Lord of the Rings RPG being developed by Crystal Dynamics.