Warner unveils new LOTR action-RPG

By Robert Purchese Published 18 March, 2010

New story! Co-op! Make your own hero!

Warner Bros. has excitedly announced a "mature", action-RPG take on The Lord of the Rings for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Subtitled War in the North and due next year, this instalment pursues new storylines and ventures to unseen lands in the company of less familiar characters - although the more well-trodden areas of Middle-Earth are not forgotten.

There will be online co-op for up-to three people, and it seems as though characters will be created from scratch to write their own place in Tolkien's world. You'll get to pick from Dwarves, Elves and Race of Man, judging by the official website. Promised are "extensive" customisation and development, "expansive" co-op options, and upgradeable skills, weapons and abilities.

The developer picked to deliver all this is Snowblind Studios, which made Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for consoles in 2001; Everquest console adaptations Champions of Norrath in 2004 and Champions: Return to Arms in 2005; superhero game Justice League Heroes in 2006; and most recently Death Tank for Xbox Live Arcade.

There's CG teaser trailer on the website to get your blood pumping, although it offers little in the way of actual gameplay detail.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (28) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • GamesConnoisseur #1 2 years ago

    LOTR milked to death already and this gonna do any better than the most recent disaster of a game?!

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #2 2 years ago

    This sounds amazingly promising to me. But yeah, so did LOTR Conquest on paper.

  • JahB #3 2 years ago

    Somehow i have the feeling this is gonna coincide with the cinema release of The Hobbit...

  • M4RV #4 2 years ago

    What does "mature" mean...?!

  • coomber #5 2 years ago

    Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance

  • ryn.x #6 2 years ago

    @M4RV Milf hobbits, has to be.

  • PearOfAnguish #7 2 years ago

    I lose hope at the sight of the word "mature". That inevitably means swearing and boobies. Hobbits will be saying fuck and there'll be hot elven princesses with low-cut dresses.

  • rosshuts #8 2 years ago

    This sounds like it could be really good - just hope they execute it well. Shalle be watching this one though we some hope?!?!?

  • TitusCrow #9 2 years ago

    Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance, Be another Dark Alliance :)

  • geeza2020 #10 2 years ago

    When i saw LOTR and action-RPG my initial thoughts were "zzzzzzzzzzzzz" but after finding out its by the guys who did the Dark Alliance games im quite interested. To my mind, its the closest consoles have ever come to the holy grail of action RPG's Diablo. Hopefully this will be as addictive a loot hunt as both the BG:DA, and Diablo games.

  • mechamonkey #11 2 years ago

    Co-Op action RPG. Sounds like my own personal idea of heaven.

  • RM2KMaster #12 2 years ago

    Is this not a retake on that cancelled 'White Council' game from a couple of years back?

  • robthehermit #13 2 years ago

    Be another Champions of Norrath. Be another Champions of Norrath. Be another Champions of Norrath. Be another Champions of Norrath. Be another Champions of Norrath. Be another Champions of Norrath. Be another Champions of Norrath.

  • GaryHoward #14 2 years ago

    LOTR + RPG elements = sounds good.

  • Drogul #15 2 years ago

    LOTR meets Borderlands?

  • Murton #16 2 years ago

    "LOTR meets Borderlands?"

    That would be awesome. But something akin to Dark Alliance would more than suffice. I'm a big LOTR geek and co-op fanatic so I'm sold already unless it's shit. Please don't be shit.

  • taurus82 #17 2 years ago

    Be another Dark Alliance or Champions of Norrath, Be another Dark Alliance or Champions of Norrath, Be another Dark Alliance or Champions of Norrath, Be another Dark Alliance or Champions of Norrath.....

  • Irien #18 2 years ago

    Snowblind are the guys with the pedigree in this genre - BG:DA and the EQ titles are super-fun co-op games. Not only does the missus play these with me, but even good'ole mum!

    Just hoping they do offline co-op as well (article doesn't say) since these games are at their best when sat next to the people you're playing with!

  • WinterSnowblind #19 2 years ago

    Yeah, I was a little concerned about the lack of offline co-op. Hopefully it will be included and just hasn't been mentioned. These games are most enjoyable with a friend in the same room, it's not something I'll be playing online.

    Sounds very promising and the teaser trailer was great. But online only would be a deal breaker for me.

  • [STARS]TyranT #20 2 years ago

    Cool, though I think LOTRO still provides the quintiessential LOTR experience, this one is fact based on the films so I'm automatically interested.

  • Kazzahdrane #21 2 years ago

    This could be the best co-op experience of the year, if their previous work is anything to go by.

  • Gastrian #22 2 years ago

    Baldurs Gate Dark Alliance was the game my parents got when they originally bought us the PS2 all those years ago and I remembered enjoying every minute.

  • Seabeast #23 2 years ago

    This could be really good if done right.

    I love how all the moaners are jumping all over this, get a life fellas, seriously.

  • Masarin #24 2 years ago

    Huh? Moaners? Where?9

  • Skandalle #25 2 years ago

    Get in! hopefully co-op will capture the adventuring of LOTR! trenching round middle earth with a couple of mates is my idea of sex!

  • Slipstream #26 2 years ago

    after finding out its by the guys who did the Dark Alliance games
    Sold!

  • OliverH #27 2 years ago

    So now they call it "mature" to have a story in which mercy and self-sacrifice are key reduced to hack and slay? I'm just waiting for the earthquake centered on Oxford from Tolkien rolling over in his grave...

    When do game companies realize that "mature" RPGs look like Planescape:Torment, with philosophical questions, moral choices and no hackfest unless you choose such a course of action?

  • laharl80 #28 2 years ago

    Maybe mature means that they will incorporate some slash fiction into the plot.We might find out what boromir did to make frodo flee through the woods.