Gollum Game Studio Apparently Making Second Lord of the Rings Game

The studio behind the recently released The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is apparently working on another game in The Lord of the Rings franchise. The Lord of the Rings series is one of the most beloved franchises in all of entertainment stretching from books to film to gaming. Even outside of the core novels the whole IP is based on, the series has seen a number of truly impressive extended universe entries. One of the best games of the mid-2010s, Shadow of Mordor, was an excellent addition to The Lord of the Rings mythology that was both easily accessible for those who aren’t familiar with the franchise and a treat for diehard fans. 

However, the latest entry into the Lord of the Rings universe has been an unmitigated disaster. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is getting absolute pummeled in reviews and dragged through the dirt across social media. Developer Daedalic Entertainment has apologized for the state the game released in and promised a better product via updates, but it’s pretty dismal and holds the lowest score for a game released in 2023 with a 36 overall on Metacritic. It’s arguably one of the worst games released in recent memory and is hurt more because of the IP its tied to. However, it seems like Daedalic Entertainment will get a second chance. German website Wirtschaft noted that Daedalic was given a €2m grant by the German Ministry of Economic Affairs to make a game set in a “lush world full of mythical creatures and magic” and tell a “story from a character’s perspective that has never been told before.” That last part seems to suggest its a character we know and not an original IP.

It sounds a lot like what the team did with Gollum, but it’s unclear if this will be a sequel to that game or a different character. It’s entirely possible it’s not a Lord of the Rings game, but everything seems to point to it being one. As of right now, we’ll just have to wait and see what comes of it. It’s entirely possible the game gets scrapped, but the jury is still out.

Do you want to see a new Lord of the Rings game from this team? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

[H/T Eurogamer]