Warhorse Studios revealed it is developing an open-world role-playing game set in Middle-earth, along with a new Kingdom Come adventure, in a formal announcement today [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The Lord of the Rings RPG is expected to be a story-driven, open-world experience, potentially similar in gameplay style to Kingdom Come: Deliverance, according to most sources [1, 3, 4, 5, 6]. One source additionally suggested it may be a third-person action game aiming to compete with titles like Hogwarts Legacy, but the prevailing description is an RPG focus [2].
Warhorse Studios is owned by Embracer Group, which acquired the Middle-earth intellectual property rights in 2022. Embracer formed a dedicated division called Fellowship Entertainment to handle Tolkien-related projects, including Warhorse’s upcoming game [1, 3, 4, 6]. The exact timeline or setting for the Middle-earth RPG within Tolkien’s lore remains undisclosed and may not cover the Lord of the Rings events themselves [1, 4, 5].
In addition to the new Tolkien game, Warhorse is developing a fresh Kingdom Come adventure. It is unclear if this will be Kingdom Come: Deliverance 3 or a spin-off title following the success of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which launched in 2025 to critical and commercial acclaim [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Warhorse co-founder Daniel Vávra stepped back from directing the Kingdom Come series in February 2026 to focus on a film project but may still be involved with these game efforts [1, 3, 5].
Warhorse acknowledged the rumors on social media, stating, "You might have heard the rumours, it's time to reveal what we are working on. An open world Middle-earth RPG. A new Kingdom Come adventure. We’re excited to tell you more when the time is right" [5]. The reportedly estimated funding for the Lord of the Rings game is around $100 million [2].
Amazon recently cancelled its own Lord of the Rings MMO project but said it continues exploring other Tolkien-related game experiences separate from Warhorse’s work. Amazon Gaming chief Jeff Gratis said, "Our team continues to explore a compelling new game experience that does justice to Tolkien's world" [1, 4, 6].
Warhorse’s formal announcement follows rumors that surfaced in late 2025 and marks a major milestone in Embracer’s Tolkien ambitions, with more details expected to emerge as development progresses [1, 2].
