worlds full of stories that pull you in
From the cobblestone streets of medieval Bohemia to the ancient paths of Middle-earth, Warhorse Studios has stepped into a larger story — one that spans not just fictional worlds, but the ambitions of an industry hungry for meaningful, authored experiences. The Czech developer, long celebrated for its devotion to historical texture and player agency, has confirmed two major undertakings: an open-world RPG set in Tolkien's Middle-earth and a new chapter in the Kingdom Come universe. Behind the announcement lies a broader corporate architecture, as parent company Embracer Group moves deliberately to transform its Lord of the Rings rights acquisition into a sustained creative enterprise. No release windows exist yet, but the question now alive in the culture is whether a studio built on painstaking realism can carry that same reverence into the realm of myth.
- Months of industry speculation ended when Warhorse Studios broke its silence on social media, confirming both a Middle-earth open-world RPG and a new Kingdom Come adventure in a single announcement.
- The Kingdom Come entry is framed as a fresh 'adventure' rather than a direct sequel, signaling the studio wants creative breathing room rather than a simple continuation of Deliverance 2's story.
- Warhorse's language around the Lord of the Rings project is deliberately evocative — promising a Middle-earth 'full of stories that pull you in' — but conspicuously avoids naming which age or era the game will inhabit.
- Neither project has a release window, and the studio's 'when the time is right' posture places both games firmly in early development, tempering excitement with an indefinite horizon.
- The announcement is inseparable from Embracer Group's larger strategy: having acquired LOTR and Hobbit rights in 2022 and now launching Fellowship Entertainment to manage major IP, Warhorse's Middle-earth game is as much corporate architecture as creative vision.
- Fans are watching closely to see whether the studio's signature commitment to immersive simulation and historical authenticity can survive — and perhaps elevate — the translation into high fantasy.
Warhorse Studios, the Czech developer behind the acclaimed Kingdom Come series, has officially confirmed two major projects: an open-world role-playing game set in Middle-earth and a new adventure within the Kingdom Come universe. The studio addressed circulating rumors directly through social media, choosing transparency over prolonged mystery.
The Kingdom Come entry is described as a new 'adventure' rather than a sequel, suggesting a fresh narrative within the familiar world of Deliverance 2 rather than a continuation of its story. On the Lord of the Rings side, Warhorse offered carefully chosen words on its website — promising a Middle-earth 'full of stories that pull you in' — language that reflects the studio's intent to bring its world-building philosophy to Tolkien's creation. Notably, no specific age or era of Middle-earth has been named, leaving the historical canvas wide open.
Neither game carries a release window. Warhorse has offered the standard early-development assurance that details will come 'when the time is right,' a posture that honestly reflects how nascent both projects remain.
The announcement sits within a deliberate expansion by parent company Embracer Group, which acquired rights to Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit media in 2022 and has since established Fellowship Entertainment — a subsidiary built to manage major intellectual properties including LOTR, Tomb Raider, and others. Warhorse's Middle-earth project is therefore both a creative endeavor and a piece of a larger corporate strategy.
What has generated the most anticipation is the underlying question: can a studio renowned for historical authenticity and immersive simulation carry those same principles into the realm of high fantasy? Warhorse's track record suggests something more considered than a typical licensed game — but the proof, like the release date, remains somewhere in the future.
Warhorse Studios, the Czech developer known for crafting intricate medieval worlds, has officially confirmed what industry watchers have been speculating about for months: the studio is building an open-world role-playing game set in Middle-earth, alongside a new adventure in the Kingdom Come universe.
The announcement came via social media, where the studio addressed the rumors head-on. "You might have heard the rumours, it's time to reveal what we are working on," the post read, before laying out both projects. The Kingdom Come entry is being described as a new "adventure" rather than a direct sequel, suggesting it will tell a fresh story within the same world that players explored in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, rather than continuing that game's narrative thread.
On its website, Warhorse elaborated on the Lord of the Rings project with language that hints at the studio's ambitions. "We have always been creating worlds full of stories that pull you in—and that's exactly the kind of Middle-earth we will one day show you," the studio wrote. The phrasing signals that Warhorse intends to bring its signature approach to world-building and narrative depth to Tolkien's creation. The studio has not yet specified which age of Middle-earth the game will inhabit, leaving open the possibility of exploring any number of historical periods within that universe.
Neither project has a release window. Warhorse says it will share more details "when the time is right," a familiar refrain from studios in the early phases of development. What is clear is that both games represent significant undertakings for a studio that has built its reputation on methodical, detail-oriented design.
The timing of the announcement aligns with broader moves by Embracer Group, Warhorse's parent company, to expand its Lord of the Rings portfolio. In 2022, Embracer acquired the rights to create games and other media based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit from The Saul Zaentz Company. More recently, the company established Fellowship Entertainment, a new subsidiary designed specifically to steward major intellectual properties including Lord of the Rings, Tomb Raider, and others. Fellowship Entertainment's stated mission centers on game development, publishing, and licensing—a structure that positions Warhorse's Middle-earth project as part of a larger corporate strategy to capitalize on one of entertainment's most valuable franchises.
Rumors about a Warhorse-developed Middle-earth game have circulated since late 2025, but the official confirmation marks a turning point. The studio's track record with Kingdom Come—a series praised for its commitment to historical authenticity and player agency—has already generated considerable anticipation about how those same principles might translate to a fantasy setting. Whether Warhorse will apply its trademark attention to detail and immersive simulation to Tolkien's world remains to be seen, but the studio's reputation suggests players can expect something more ambitious than a standard licensed tie-in.
Citas Notables
We have always been creating worlds full of stories that pull you in—and that's exactly the kind of Middle-earth we will one day show you.— Warhorse Studios
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does it matter that Warhorse is making this game rather than, say, a larger studio?
Warhorse has spent years building a reputation for worlds that feel lived-in—Kingdom Come doesn't hold your hand, it trusts you to figure things out. That philosophy is rare in big-budget games. If they bring that to Middle-earth, it could feel very different from what we've seen before.
Different how?
Most Lord of the Rings games treat the IP as a backdrop for action or combat. Warhorse tends to ask: what would it actually feel like to live in this world? How would people talk, move, work? That's a much slower, more immersive approach.
Is there a risk that approach doesn't work for fantasy?
Absolutely. Kingdom Come works partly because medieval Europe is something we can research and understand. Middle-earth is invented. Warhorse will have to decide how much of their simulation-first philosophy survives that translation.
What about the Kingdom Come game—why call it an "adventure" instead of a sequel?
It signals they're not continuing the story of Deliverance 2. It's a new story, new characters probably, but the same world. That's actually smart—it lets them explore different corners of that universe without being locked into a narrative thread.
And Embracer Group is clearly betting big on Lord of the Rings right now.
Very much so. They own the rights, they've created a whole subsidiary just to manage the IP, and now they're putting one of their most thoughtful studios on it. This is a long-term play, not a quick cash-in.
What should we be watching for?
How long the development takes, and what they actually show us first. If Warhorse takes five years and releases something that feels genuinely new, that's one story. If they rush it, that's another entirely.