Lord of the Rings fans may be in for a long wait for the newly announced Middle-Earth RPG from Warhorse Studios, but they may be in luck, as there’s another major release on the way later this year. The Kingdom Come: Deliverance studio first revealed their plans for the Middle-Earth project earlier this year, and while details are still sparse, they have a proven track record of quality RPG systems and mechanics that could very well be the best Lord of the Rings game on offer when it eventually launches.

Warhorse has since offered a few details about what fans can expect, describing the untitled project as a deeply immersive “passion project” built around a living open world, memorable characters, and a strong narrative focus. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 design director Viktor Bocan is leading development, suggesting the studio intends to carry many of the same design philosophies that made its historical RPGs so distinctive into Tolkien’s fantasy setting.

That said, if you’re looking for a Lord of the Rings RPG to play in the interim ahead of Warhorse’s, War of the Ring: Second Edition is getting a massive expansion this winter titled Sieges of Middle-Earth, and you’ll want to keep this one on your radar (via BGG).

The Lord of the Rings is getting a major tabletop release later this year with War of the Ring: Sieges of Middle-earth, the fourth expansion for Ares Games’ acclaimed War of the Ring: Second Edition. Currently expected in Q4 2026, the expansion places a much greater emphasis on the enormous siege battles that defined the War of the Ring, particularly the defenses of the Free Peoples’ most important strongholds.

Sieges of Middle-earth introduces new mechanics designed specifically around attacking and defending fortifications. The Shadow player will gain access to powerful siege engines capable of breaking down enemy defenses and demoralizing those trapped inside, while the Free Peoples can counter with heroic actions, daring sorties, etc. The result should make sieges significantly more involved than they are in the base game while opening up new strategic possibilities for both sides.

The expansion will also include new plastic miniatures, special dice, cards, and tokens that integrate directly with War of the Ring: Second Edition. Ares Games has additionally confirmed that a separate limited edition is planned, although that premium version will arrive later and does not yet have a release date.

Overall, it’s an exciting time for Lord of the Rings in the gaming space, and the new Sieges of Middle-Earth expansion will certainly tide gamers over until Warhorse’s massive open-world RPG releases, whenever that may be.