EA loses Lord of the Rings licence

By Ellie Gibson Published 13 March, 2009

We'll have that back thanks, says Warner.

Electronic Arts won't be publishing any more Lord of the Rings games, according to a Variety report.

The licensing deal expired at the end of last year and hasn't been renewed. Which means LOTR rights pass back to Warner Bros., and by extension, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

"Based on logic and what some sources have told me, expect Warner Bros. to start producing Lord of the Rings games itself soon," wrote the Variety reporter. That could mean tie-ins for the Hobbit movies due on 2011 and 2012, for example.

EA still owns the Harry Potter game licence, and will make the tie-in for the final film - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - which is set to release in 2011.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (23) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • MyPointIs #1 3 years ago

    The opposite of milking is ... loosing the cow!

  • DFawkes #2 3 years ago

    No wonder Conquest seemed rushed, they needed to get it out before the licence expired. Not that it was the only problem there.

  • bad09 #3 3 years ago

    Lets be honest here the movies are long done and already had games so why would EA want to keep it anyway. Conquest showed they weren't that bothered in the end...

  • kallenai #4 3 years ago

    Given the total dog's breakfast that Warner Bro's made in publishing FEAR 2 this does not bode well for any future LOTR titles....

  • kangarootoo #5 3 years ago

    Ouch. LOTR is still a massive money spinner, and I would expect EA would have wanted to keep this if they could. Given their financial difficulties, solid franchises like LOTR the Harry Potter are the things to have.

  • menage #6 3 years ago

    I can't imagine Warner doing better games than EA on this front. But who the helll cares about more LOTR movie based games anyway. I really can't understand why people still buy that crap.
    Edited by 1 at 13/03/09 @ 09:34

  • MyPointIs #7 3 years ago

    Actually that is true, I don't think EA lost the license to Warner. I think they just milked it dry.

  • BaggyAnt #8 3 years ago

    I can't imagine Warner doing better games than EA on this front. But who the helll cares about more LOTR movie based games anyway. I really can't understand why people still buy that crap.
    Edited time(s), most recently by menage at 09:34 on 13/03/2009

    Turbine who produce LOTRO actually signed a distibution deal with Warner brothers last year. So maybe there is a plan to bring some of the film likenesses and licences to the MMO

  • Triggerhappytel #9 3 years ago

    I am assuming EA chose not to renew the licence, which seems a bit strange since they hadn't even released Conquest at this point. Perhaps they assumed the licence was reaching the end of its use.

    My money's on a Lego LotR within two years.

  • MyPointIs #10 3 years ago

    I really want a "Lego's The Original Lego"

  • green_nifta #11 3 years ago


    I'm confused about the LOTR license. Is the EA one just for the films, because Codemasters do LOTRO. Is that one a license of the books?

  • ozzit #12 3 years ago

    How careless, it'll be in the last place they look!

  • AHiFi #13 3 years ago

    So...is thast White Council completely and utterly 100% gone?

  • Krusty #14 3 years ago

    "I'm confused about the LOTR license. Is the EA one just for the films, because Codemasters do LOTRO. Is that one a license of the books?"

    Yip, Turbine have the book license with Codemasters running their game in the EU.

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #15 3 years ago

    The less IPs EA have the better, more teams and money to focus on newer IPs they have, LotR has ran it's corse, shame it didn't bow out on a high note

  • jonthepymm #16 3 years ago

    The final Harry Potter book is actually being split into two films - so will that be two more games?

  • ronuds #17 3 years ago

    This is spectacularly awesome news. I couldn't think of a company I'd want to have the LoTR licence less than EA. They've certainly churned out some crappy games over the years, with a franchise that can truly create something magnificent. Instead of making diamonds from coal, they've done the reverse...but instead of coal it's shit.

    Next is the NFL licence!!!

  • FenderMaster #18 3 years ago

    Well it's great tha EA don't have it anymore, they really wasted the licence, but WB don't sound any better...

  • giant_frying_pan #19 3 years ago

    Perhaps WB will sell the rights on to Square-Enix along with its stake in Eidos.

  • metalangel #20 3 years ago

    Given the apparent ludicrous nature of Conquest (according to PCG's review, partway through the TUTORIAL you kill Sauron) this is no bad thing... the udders have fallen off this cash cow.

  • Bleh #21 3 years ago

    Now let's hope the quality of the games are better. I'm hopeful.

  • AOFanboi #22 3 years ago

    <em>according to PCG's review, partway through the TUTORIAL you kill Sauron</em>

    No need to buy the game to do that, you do that in the demo too...

  • drxym #23 3 years ago

    Give it to Codemasters. The LOTR MMO is pretty decent but the movie IP would make it even better.