The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth is set to be the next licensed title from Electronic Arts, with EA getting back into LOTR games. Heroes of Middle-earth is being developed for Android and iOS smartphones, and is scheduled to begin a limited beta test in summer 2022. According to EA, The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth will be solely inspired by Middle-earth from J.R.R. Tolkein’s literary works — there are two film trilogies, and a TV series on the way — and will feature turn-based combat and well-known characters from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings franchise, along with high-fidelity graphics, cinematic animations, and stylised art.
In an announcement on Monday, EA revealed that it was partnering with Middle-earth enterprises on a new free-to-play mobile game called The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth. EA describes the upcoming title as a “collectible role-playing game” (RPG) for smartphones. The game is being developed by California-based EA Capital Games and will be “solely inspired by Middle-Earth as described in the literary works of JRR Tolkien,” according to Fredrica Drotos, Chief Brand & Licensing Officer for Middle-earth Enterprises.
While the publisher is not new to the Lord of the Rings universe — having released PC and console titles based on the films in the past — The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth will be the first game from EA that is based on storylines, locations, characters, and lore from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books. You will need a persistent Internet connection, and the title will offer in-game purchases including random game items — common with most free-to-play titles.
While details on the game are scarce, EA says that the game will offer immersive storytelling, allowing gamers to experience iconic stories from the books as they fight against the evil of Middle-earth. The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth will feature turn-based combat, collection systems, and many characters from the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit universe, according to EA.
The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth is set to enter limited regional beta testing this summer on Android and iPhone, which means test versions of the game could be here in less than two months. EA is yet to reveal details of which regions will get access to The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth beta.