Amazon has reportedly cancelled its long-in-development Lord of the Rings MMO, but the company remains committed to releasing a new game set in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world. The project, which had a tumultuous history, was officially scrapped according to a statement from Amazon's head of games, Jeff Grattis.
The saga of Amazon's efforts to create a dedicated Lord of the Rings MMO has been marked by delays and setbacks. Initially announced in 2019, the project was cancelled in 2021 after developer Leyou was acquired by Tencent. Amazon revived the project in 2023, planning to develop it in-house at Amazon Games Orange County, the studio behind Amazon's New World MMO. However, that effort was dealt a blow when over 14,000 employees, including members of Amazon's games division, were laid off last year. One affected employee suggested at the time that the Lord of the Rings MMO had died a second death, and now, seven months later, that appears to be confirmed.
Amazon's Statement
In a statement provided to Eurogamer, Grattis did not provide a reason for the cancellation but indicated that Amazon is still exploring opportunities with the franchise. '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,' Grattis said.
Amazon's Focus on Lord of the Rings
Despite pulling back from game development, Amazon's interest in the Lord of the Rings franchise remains strong. The company is currently producing a third season of its Rings of Power TV show, set to air this November. A tie-in game based on the show has long seemed an obvious choice, but Amazon has been fixated on MMOs, not only with New World but also as international publisher for Korean titles Lost Ark and Throne And Liberty.
New World is scheduled to shut down in January 2027. According to an anonymous source who spoke with Eurogamer, Amazon was 'ramping everybody off New World' and onto the Lord of the Rings game just weeks before the mass lay-offs last year. This suggests Amazon may have shut down New World to prioritise the Lord of the Rings MMO, which only reached pre-production before its cancellation.
Potential New Developer
It was reported last month that Crystal Dynamics is currently working on a new Lord of the Rings game, which could be what Grattis is referencing. Crystal Dynamics and Amazon are already collaborating on two Tomb Raider games, making the rumour plausible. However, Crystal Dynamics has faced frequent lay-offs, raising questions about its capacity to handle multiple projects.
Additionally, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 developer Warhorse Studios is rumoured to be working on a Lord of the Rings game. The studio has neither confirmed nor denied these rumours.
Amazon's cancellation of the MMO marks the end of a troubled chapter, but the promise of a new game experience keeps hope alive for fans of Tolkien's world.
