The Lord of the Rings franchise is about to get an onslaught of new releases in the coming years, though not all of them are equally compelling, at least among longtime Tolkien fans. Middle-earth adaptations such as The Hunt for Gollum and The Rings of Power have been criticized for taking too many liberties with Tolkien’s original material, even as both promise to take fans into beloved corners of the universe.

There is still plenty for fans to look forward to, however, with Middle-earth continuing to expand with projects like Colbert’s Shadow of the Past, tabletop releases such as the new One Ring expansions, and more. Some will revisit familiar characters and periods of Tolkien history, while others are looking beyond the stories audiences have already seen adapted several times before. That varied slate could make the next few years one of the franchise’s busiest periods yet, for better or worse, and the fanbase is by and large trying to remain cautiously optimistic.

However, one upcoming project is almost universally being hailed as the Middle-earth adaptation we’ve been waiting on for decades, and it will take the Lord of the Rings franchise in a completely new direction.

Lord Of The Rings Is Set To Make A Long Overdue Shift In Genre

The Lord of the Rings is about to make one of its boldest genre shifts yet, moving away from the film and television adaptations currently dominating the franchise and back toward a much more ambitious kind of interactive Middle-earth experience. As fans are well aware by now, Warhorse Studios, the developer behind Kingdom Come: Deliverance, officially confirmed in May 2026 that it is developing an open-world Middle-earth RPG, marking a new era for the IP.

That alone represents a dramatic change from the franchise’s most recent major gaming release, Tales of the Shire, which approached Tolkien’s world as a cozy life simulator. The game was an intentionally low-stakes interpretation of Middle-earth, prioritizing everyday life over the epic adventures normally associated with LOTR.

Warhorse appears to be heading in essentially the opposite direction. While virtually no gameplay details have been revealed yet, describing the project specifically as an open-world Middle-earth RPG immediately suggests a focus on discovery and free exploration, character progression, dangerous quests alongside an extensive main campaign, and player/character-driven adventures. Warhorse’s pedigree makes that especially intriguing, considering Kingdom Come: Deliverance built its popularity around unusually detailed worlds and immersive role-playing systems.

After years of wildly different experiments with Tolkien’s universe, Warhorse’s project could finally give fans something they’ve been waiting on for decades: a dedicated, large-scale open-world RPG built around actually living out an adventure in Middle-earth.

The Wait For Warhorse’s Middle-Earth RPG Will Be Worth It

Fans probably shouldn’t expect Warhorse Studios’ Lord of the Rings RPG anytime soon. The project remains extremely early in development and was only just announced, with no release date or window. An ambitious open-world interpretation of Middle-earth isn’t exactly the kind of game that should be rushed, however. If Warhorse’s history is any indication, though, giving the studio time will be well worth it in the long run.

Warhorse spent years establishing its approach to immersive RPG design with 2018’s Kingdom Come: Deliverance, creating an open world built around historical authenticity, complicated gameplay systems, player choice, and an unusually grounded representation of medieval life. The studio then took nearly seven years to deliver Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and that patience paid off handsomely.

KCD 2 earned an 89 Metacritic score and currently holds a 92% positive rating across more than 67,000 English-language Steam reviews, showing just how far Warhorse’s RPG formula has evolved and landed among the player-base.

Middle-earth could be an ideal setting and perfect match for Warhorse, as Tolkien’s world would benefit from the small details, believable and intricate cultures, expansive landscapes, and the feeling that there’s way more to discover beyond whatever quest the player happens to be focused on.

In other words, a lengthy development cycle isn’t necessarily bad news, even if it means fans will have to sit tight for a while before immersing themselves in the experience. If Warhorse gives Middle-earth the same attention it gave medieval Bohemia, waiting several years could be a small price to pay for the kind of fully realized Lord of the Rings RPG fans have wanted for decades.