Lord of the Rings: Weta Workshop and Private Division to Release New Game Set Outside the Films [IGN]

Announced today via Twitter, the upcoming game takes place in Middle-earth, with Weta, who worked on the original Peter Jackson movies as well as Amazon’s The Rings of Power, teaming up with Take-Two’s Private Division publishing label.

“We’re thrilled to announce that we have partnered with Weta Workshop to publish a new game set in the literary Middle-earth universe of J.R.R. Tolkien,” revealed Private Division. “We look forward to sharing more about the project in the future.”

We’re thrilled to announce that we have partnered with @WetaWorkshop to publish a new game set in the literary Middle-earth universe of J.R.R. Tolkien. We look forward to sharing more about the project in the future! pic.twitter.com/z9HxvXe7Da

— Private Division (@PrivateDivision) August 15, 2022

The untitled game, which is said to be in early development, is on its way sometime in 2024. However, don’t expect to see Elijah Wood or Martin Freeman as, according to the announcement, the game is based very specifically on the literary Middle-earth universe. That means it will sit outside of the recent films and TV shows – tying more directly into Tolkien’s original books.

The game will be produced by Weta, which created its own game development studio in 2014.

“It’s a privilege to create a new game set in Middle-earth, especially one that’s so different from what fans have played previously,” said Weta Workshop head of interactive, Amie Wolken. “As fans ourselves, we’re excited for gamers to explore Middle-earth in a way they never have before, and introduce new fans to the magic of The Lord of the Rings.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Weta Workshop to publish a game set in such an extraordinary and celebrated universe,” added Head of Private Division Michael Worosz. “The Lord of the Rings IP is home to so many remarkable stories, and no entity is better equipped than the team at Weta Workshop to create a distinctive, new Middle-earth gaming experience.”

Of course, this isn’t the only Lord of the Rings game on the cards, with The Lord of the Rings: Gollum expected to release next year.

Want to read more about Lord of the Rings games? Check out our preview of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum and get a glimpse of the game’s official gameplay trailer.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.