Lord of the Rings: Leak Suggests Another Blow to the Biggest License Game

Key Takeaways

Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark

Amazon has officially cancelled their in-development Lord of the Rings MMO, as confirmed by a former senior engineer at Amazon Games.
The cancellation is part of a larger mass layoff plan affecting over 14,000 employees company-wide and marks a significant setback for Amazons gaming division.
Amazons shift in strategy reflects a focus on shorter, more profitable games instead of long-term multiplayer projects like MMOs, with their flagship title New World receiving no further updates after the Nighthaven extension.
This is not the first Lord of the Rings MMO project to be cancelled by Amazon, as an earlier attempt with Chinese studio Leyou was also scrapped due to legal disputes and a lack of visible progress in a subsequent collaboration with Embracer Group.

Our favorite Goodies

-21%

The Noble Collection Bendable Sauron

$14.99$11.84

The Noble Collection Bendable Lord of The Rings Gollum

$17.95

-12%

Silver Buffalo Lord of The Rings Elven Text High Gloss Reactive Glaze Tapered Pottery Mug,18 Ounces

$17.00$14.99

Huntex 3.25 Folding Pocket Knife, 420HC Blade, Pakka Wood Handle, Brass Lord of the Rings Symbol, EDC Tactical Knife with Gift Locket, Ideal for Camping, Survival, and Gifts (Blue Sheath)

$34.99

Amazon Cancels Lord of the Rings Online Game, Confirmed by Laid-off Employee

Amazon has canceled its in-development online Lord of the Rings game, according to a former Amazon Games studio employee who was recently laid off.

Cancellation of Lord of the Rings MMO Confirmed by Amazon Employee in Mass Layoffs

Ashleigh Amrine, a senior engineer at Amazon Games, confirmed on LinkedIn the cancellation of the upcoming Lord of the Rings MMO. She expressed gratitude to her colleagues who collaborated with her on both New World and the now-scrapped LOTR game, adding, “You would’ve loved it.” This cancellation is part of Amazon’s mass layoff plan that affected over 14,000 employees company-wide and represents a significant setback for its gaming division, which has undergone considerable changes recently. Contributing to these setbacks is the company’s shift away from the costly and risky MMO market. Amazon’s flagship title, New World, released in 2021, will not receive further updates after the Nighthaven extension. While servers will remain active until 2026, Amazon has stated that players will receive a six-month warning if the company decides to shut them down permanently. This move reflects a more cautious strategy, with a focus on shorter, more profitable games instead of long-term multiplayer projects like MMOs.

Amazon’s Second Lord of the Rings MMO Cancelled Despite Collaboration with Embracer Group

In 2019, Amazon initially ventured into Middle-earth with a Lord of the Rings MMO, partnering with Chinese studio Leyou. However, the project encountered complications in 2021 when Tencent acquired Leyou, resulting in a legal dispute that brought development to a standstill. Two years later, Amazon attempted a second iteration, this time with Embracer Group holding the game rights. The concept involved a massive open-world environment encompassing events from The Hobbit onward. Despite its official announcement, the game remained largely unseen, with no images or trailers released. With its cancellation, the project joins a long list of abandoned ventures.

In Case You Missed It

Intrigued by the fascinating intersections of gaming history and cinema? First, dive into Marcus Thompson’s exploration of an almost realized collaboration between Hideo Kojima and the Wachowskis in “The Almost Realized Matrix Game by Hideo Kojima,” published on October 27th The Almost Realized Matrix Game by Hideo Kojima. Then, check out Bruno Pferd’s latest post from October 20th Netflix: This Week’s Releases Featuring Cult Films and a Highly Anticipated New Release to explore this week’s diverse cinematic lineup on Netflix, featuring cult films like “The Blair Witch Project” and the newly praised thriller “A House of Dynamite,” starring Rebecca Ferguson. And while you’re there, don’t miss Marcus Thompson’s recent post about Towa And The Guardians Of The Sacred Tree, published just last month Soundtrack of Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree Now Available on Top Music Streaming Platforms. It announces the release of Hitoshi Sakimoto’s enchanting 54-track soundtrack on top music streaming platforms, with an exclusive speedpainting video featuring one of the artists – a must-listen for fans and newcomers alike!