EA have announced a new videogame based on the Lord of the Rings series of books by JRR Tolkien and it will be available to play for free on mobile devices later this year.

The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth will be set in the fantasy world of, well, Middle-earth and is currently being developed by EA’s studio Capital Games. If that all sounds vaguely familiar it’s because the studio also worked on the Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes mobile game.

According to a press release released by the publisher, this new title will be a “collectible RPG” and a “strategic, social-competitive experience”. It will also feature immersive storytelling, turn-based combat, deep collection systems, and a wide roster of characters from across the vast universe of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

However, if you’re expecting to see any likeness to actors who appeared in Peter Jackson’s groundbreaking trilogy of films, think again. As according to a statement from Fredrica Drotos, Chief brand and licensing officer for Middle-earth Enterprises, the game will be “solely inspired by Middle-earth as described in the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien”.

To find out when you will be able to play as your favourite characters, keep reading.

‘Lord of the Rings: Heros of Middle-earth’ release date

If a turn-based, collectible mobile fantasy game sounds like an unexpected but grand adventure, then The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth will be available to play later this year.

The game is expected to enter limited regional beta testing this summer, but details on what to expect are still light on the ground.

We’ll keep this article updated once we have more information on when the game will become available.

Will EA publish more ‘Lord of the Rings’ games?

What is significant about this announcement is that EA has officially renewed its partnership with Middle-earth enterprises, which opens up the scope for future Lord of the Rings games down the line.

Back when the original trilogy came out between 2001-2003, EA published licensed games that tied into the films which, for the most part, were generally well received – particularly the reinterpretation of Return of the King.

And while this new venture only focuses on the literary retellings of Tolkien’s work, we could see more Lord of the Rings games making its way over to Playstation, Xbox and PC. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.

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