Amazon’s planned The Lord of the Rings MMO is reportedly cancelled, according to Bloomberg.
The project was announced two years ago. It was being handled by Amazon Game Studios and Leyou Technologies, which was purchased by Tencent in December. According to the report, negotiations between the two companies has caused a contractual dispute, leading to the game’s cancellation. The information comes courtesy of anonymous insiders close to the project.
What Did Amazon Say About The Project?
Amazon has also since confirmed the MMO’s cancellation, stating that “we have been unable to secure terms to proceed with this title at this time”. The company also expressed dismay at the project’s cancellation and its disappointment surrounding the situation:
“We love the Lord of the Rings IP, and are disappointed that we won’t be bringing this game to customers”
So No The Lord of the Rings MMORPG… What Now?
The team working on the Lord of the Rings RPG will be moved onto other projects within the company. Amazon is also working on another MMO titled “New World”, which is set to be released on the 31st of August. Amazon has had a rough time within the video game industry thus far, with the company’s previous release, Crucible, having been delisted from Steam and placed back into closed beta.
While Amazon’s Lord of the Rings game has been well and truly shelved, the company is also working on Tolkien based TV show. The series will take place during the second age of Middle Earth, which makes it somewhat of a prequel. A new Lord of the Rings adventure game is also being developed by German studio Daedalic, based on the troubled LOTRs antagonist Gollum. Unfortunately, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has been delayed until 2022, so fans looking for a Middle Earth video game will have to wait a little longer.
Who knows, perhaps Amazon will revisit its plans for a Lord of the Rings MMO in the future. While the company’s current attempts have been cancelled, it could attempt to revive the project in the future.
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Featured Image Credit: Amazon Game Studios