Middle-Earth Archives

AppWizard

June 2, 2026

Valve reportedly threatened Ubisoft with a total delisting of Rainbow Six Siege “by end of day tomorrow” when it tried selling it cheaper on Uplay

A recent study found that 72% of game developers view Steam as a monopoly. Valve allegedly threatened to delist Ubisoft's Rainbow Six Siege after the company promoted a cheaper bundle on its own Uplay storefront. Warner Bros. Games also faced scrutiny from Valve due to sales strategies that did not meet the company's expectations. These incidents are part of an ongoing class-action antitrust lawsuit against Valve.

AppWizard

May 21, 2026

The rumours were true: Kingdom Come 2 studio is working on an RPG set in Tolkien’s Middle-earth

Warhorse Studios is developing another installment in the Kingdom Come series and an open-world RPG set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. The studio's recent success with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which won PC Gamer's 2025 Game of the Year, has generated excitement. Speculative ideas for the Middle-earth game include settings in Beleriand during the First Age or a Fourth Age adventure. Concerns have arisen regarding the replacement of a translator with AI, raising questions about the quality of future English-language games. Warhorse plans to share more information in the future.

AppWizard

May 20, 2026

Warhorse confirms that it’s working on a Lord of the Rings RPG, and a new Kingdom Come Deliverance game

The developer Warhorse has confirmed they are working on an open world Middle-earth RPG. This announcement was made in a post on X on May 20, where they also mentioned plans for a new installment in the Kingdom Come series. Recent Lord of the Rings-themed games have had mixed success, with titles like Return to Moria and Tales of the Shire receiving respectable ratings but not achieving significant impact. The 25th anniversary of the film trilogy and the upcoming release of The Hunt for Gollum create a favorable context for the resurgence of the franchise.

AppWizard

May 9, 2026

Skulking in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is superb, and the Nemesis System is yet to be bested by 12 years of action games

The author had never played Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor until 2026, despite attempts during the 2010s. Initially, they found the game unengaging due to its lengthy tutorial but later rediscovered it and appreciated its gameplay and storytelling. This experience has led to a desire to explore more of The Lord of the Rings lore.

AppWizard

May 8, 2026

Amazon reveals May 2026 lineup for Luna cloud gaming and free PC games for Prime members

Amazon is enhancing its gaming offerings in May 2026 with new titles for its Luna cloud gaming service and a selection of free PC games for Prime members. Games Coming to Luna in May 2026 (Included with Prime): - Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy - Resident Evil 2 - Alien: Isolation - Middle-earth: Shadow of War - LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars - LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga Free PC Games – May 2026: - May 7: - Mafia II: Definitive Edition – GOG code - Fruitbus – GOG code - May 14: - Survival: Fountain of Youth – Amazon Games code - 60 Minutes to Extinction: Escape Room – GOG code - Lethal Honor: Order of the Apocalypse – Epic Games Store Code - May 21: - Space Grunts – GOG Code - Palindrome Syndrome: Escape Room – GOG Code - Hot Brass – GOG Code - May 28: - Nordic Storm Solitaire – Legacy Games Code - Moon Mystery – Epic Games Store Code - Pro Basketball Manager 2026 – Amazon Games Code

AppWizard

April 26, 2026

Lord of the Rings Online now lets you follow in Bilbo’s hairy footsteps by buying up property and retiring to an iconic city

Lord of the Rings Online will introduce player housing in Rivendell on April 30 at noon Eastern Time. Players on 64-bit servers will compete to secure homes, with a system in place to open additional neighborhoods as needed. Directions to the Rivendell Steadings include walking southwest from the Rivendell stables or accessing it via the Bree-town Broker's Office. This update coincides with the game's 19th anniversary, and players can currently participate in new missions at the Prancing Pony until May 12, with rewards available.

AppWizard

April 25, 2026

I played the Lord of the Rings RPG where Frodo can straight-up die and the game just keeps on going

Sam Gamgee's true name in Westron is Banazîr Galpsi. Sauron once served as a lieutenant to Melkor, also known as Morgoth. Frodo never reached Mordor; he died at the hands of three identical men in a mill at the edge of the Shire. These plot twists are from the 1990 CRPG, The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I, developed by Interplay. The game presents a version of Frodo as a middle-aged hobbit, contrasting with the youthful portrayal in the films. The visual interpretations of Gandalf and Aragorn in the game depict them in a more rugged and relatable manner compared to their cinematic versions. The Internet Archive provides access to this gaming experience.

TrendTechie

April 21, 2026

Самому старому BitTorrent-трекеру The Pirate Bay исполнилось 22 года

The Pirate Bay celebrates its 22nd anniversary and continues to serve millions of users despite access-blocking attempts. When it launched, only about 10% of the global population had internet access, and content consumption was mainly offline. The oldest active torrent on The Pirate Bay is an episode of "High Chaparral" featuring Uri Geller, uploaded on March 25, 2004. The oldest active music torrent is a compilation titled Instant Hits by Gyllene Tider, and the oldest active gaming torrent is The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth. Additionally, the documentary Revolution OS, uploaded on March 31, 2004, remains available, despite the director's dissatisfaction with piracy. The oldest active torrent on the internet is a short amateur parody film, The Fanimatrix, created in September 2003.

AppWizard

April 5, 2026

Thank goodness Magic: The Gathering isn’t doing a Harry Potter crossover set

Five years after the debut of Strixhaven: School of Mages, a sequel set titled Secrets of Strixhaven is being released. This sequel revisits the characters and faculty of Strixhaven following a multiversal conflict. Secrets of Strixhaven will be available on Arena starting April 21 and in tabletop versions on April 24.

AppWizard

February 16, 2026

Games That Deserve A Second Look: Lord of the Rings Online

Lord of the Rings Online has been active for nearly two decades and remains popular due to its supportive community and engaging gameplay. A recent user interface update has improved accessibility for modern players, making it more inviting on contemporary PCs. The game offers a mix of cozy escapism and traditional MMO questing, allowing players to enjoy peaceful activities like fishing in The Shire or battling in the Barrow-downs. It features a wealth of free content and numerous expansions, showcasing that its age enhances its value.