Warhorse Studios, the developer behind the critically acclaimed Kingdom Come: Deliverance, has dropped hints about its highly anticipated new project set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. The studio confirmed last week that it is developing a Lord of the Rings game, calling it an “open world Middle-earth RPG.” While the exact era of Tolkien’s fantasy world remains unclear, the game is expected to follow the realistic, immersive approach that made Kingdom Come: Deliverance a standout in the RPG genre. Fans of the studio’s work can take comfort in knowing this project will likely carry forward the same high standards of storytelling and detail.
Warhorse has not yet provided a firm release window for the Middle-earth game, but the studio recently shared some insights during a recent interview. The communications director, Tobias Stolz-Zwilling, revealed that the next Kingdom Come title will arrive in the next fiscal year, meaning it’s roughly a year away from launch. The Lord of the Rings game, however, remains without a set timeline, suggesting it could be several years before players get their hands on it. As noted in our coverage, the next Kingdom Come title to be an open-world RPG is set to launch next fiscal year.
The Middle-earth project is being led by Viktor Bocan, the design director for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Stolz-Zwilling described the game as a “passion project” backed by a “mind-blowing team” eager to fully explore Tolkien’s universe. He emphasized the game’s “deeply immersive” design, highlighting a “living world” filled with “interesting characters, memorable places, and a strong narrative focus.” The studio aims to solidify its reputation as a leader in the RPG genre with this release, continuing to build on the formula that fans have praised in both Kingdom Come and its upcoming sequel. This follows the announcement that Warhorse Studios Announces Lord of the Rings RPG and New Kingdom Come Game.
“It’s important to remind everyone we are only working on the games we want to work on in the way we want to work on them,” Stolz-Zwilling stated. “It’s our stuff.” He added, “That stands us a bit apart… without s**t-talking anyone… only a little bit! Stands us a bit apart from maybe other big studios. As long as we have this power and trust I think we will absolutely rock.”
While the Lord of the Rings franchise has seen its share of action-adventure titles like Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War, Warhorse is aiming to fill a gap in the market by developing a sprawling, authentic RPG. The studio’s approach mirrors how IO Interactive was selected to create a new James Bond game after years of fan demand, suggesting Warhorse is positioning itself to deliver something fresh and deeply rooted in Tolkien’s world.
Warhorse’s game arrives at a time when interest in Lord of the Rings is growing again. A new live-action film, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, is in production with some original cast members reportedly returning, which has already sparked excitement among fans. While the game likely won’t coincide with the film’s release, another project could offer a future opportunity for synergy. Reports suggest Stephen Colbert is writing the script for The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, a film set over a decade after Frodo’s death and inspired by unused chapters from The Fellowship of the Ring. With no release date announced yet, there may be room for alignment down the road.
