A new MMO is coming based on The Lord of the Rings from Amazon Games, Embracer Group and Middle-earth Enterprises.
A new MMO is coming based on The Lord of the Rings from Amazon Games, Embracer Group and Middle-earth Enterprises.
Categories

The intellectual property map of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit

The rights to The Lord of the Rings and all things Middle-earth are complicated. This primer brings us up to date.

There’s a video that Lee Guinchard, CEO of Embracer Freemode, showed me that is helpful for those exploring the rights and licensing for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, the works of author J.R.R. Tolkien. Embracer Freemode currently owns the rights previously held by Middle-earth Enterprises. And it has just licensed Peter Jackson and Warner Bros. to make The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum coming in 2026. (See our exclusive interview with Guinchard about new Tolkien games here).

Unlock premium content and VIP community perks with GB M A X! Join now to enjoy our free and premium perks. 

Join now →

Sign in to your account.

Written by

Dean Takahashi

Dean Takahashi is editorial director for GamesBeat. He has been a tech journalist since 1988, and he has covered games as a beat since 1996. He was lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat from 2008 to April 2025. Prior to that, he wrote for the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Herring, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Dallas Times-Herald. He is the author of two books, "Opening the Xbox" and "The Xbox 360 Uncloaked." He organizes the annual GamesBeat Next, GamesBeat Summit and GamesBeat Insider Series: Hollywood and Games conferences and is a frequent speaker at gaming and tech events. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.