Amazon Games has confirmed it has not given up in its effort to make a new The Lord of the Rings game, after multiple MMO projects in Middle-earth did not work out.
Amazon Games boss Jeff Grattis told Eurogamer, “Our creative team continues to explore a compelling new game experience that does justice to Tolkien’s world; we are working closely with Middle-earth and remain excited about the IP.”
Amazon’s latest attempt to make a The Lord of the Rings MMO failed to materialize in anything, as it was reported in October 2025 that the game had been canceled amid wider layoffs. A source told Eurogamer that this project–which was in the works alongside rights-owner Embracer–entered pre-production only months before the layoffs were announced in 2025.
The MMO project with Embracer was announced “before talking to any developers,” a source said, adding that the game had only “one or two” people working on it as a side project for “many years.” According to the source, only a single piece of concept art was created for the project. However, when Amazon said it was winding down its other MMO, New World, the company reportedly planned to re-assign staffers to The Lord of the Rings MMO. But that effort did not work out, either.
This was Amazon’s second attempt at a The Lord of the Rings MMO, as the company previously partnered with Leyou for an MMO based on the popular series. It was abruptly canceled in 2021, with former Amazon Games boss Christoph Hartmann explaining that the game fell apart when Leyou was sold to Tencent.
While Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings MMOs are no longer happening, it’s been reported that Kingdom Come developer Warhorse and Tomb Raider studio Crystal Dynamics are each working on their own The Lord of the Rings games. Embracer, which owns the gaming rights to the fantasy series and both of those studios, has said it wants to see a renaissance for The Lord of the Rings games, so it makes sense that there could be multiple games on the way. Embracer bought the Lord of the Rings rights in 2022.
The franchise in general has remained popular, and multiple new The Lord of the Rings movies are in the works as well. The first of these is 2027’s The Hunt for Gollum, which brings back Andy Serkis as Gollum in a film that he will also direct.
The movie will also see Ian McKellen come back as Gandalf and Elijah Wood return as Frodo. Oscar-winner Kate Winslet will play Marigol, with Fifty Shades of Grey actor Jamie Dornan taking on the role of Strider/Aragorn. The White Lotus actor Leo Woodall will play Halvard and Lee Pace will play Thranduil, reprising his role from The Hobbit movies.
Actor, comedian, TV host, and The Lord of the Rings super-fan Stephen Colbert is also writing a The Lord of the Rings movie to come that is based on the “Fogs on the Barrow-downs” chapter of The Fellowship of the Ring. It will feature a character missing from Peter Jackson’s trilogy: Tom Bombadil.
