Warhorse Studios Confirms Lord of the Rings RPG and New Kingdom Come Game

Two Major Projects in Development#

Warhorse Studios has officially confirmed rumors that the developer behind Kingdom Come: Deliverance is working on an open-world Lord of the Rings RPG set in Middle-earth, according to Rock Paper Shotgun. The studio announced it's simultaneously developing this new fantasy title alongside another Kingdom Come: Deliverance game.

The confirmation comes after months of speculation in the gaming community about Warhorse's next projects. The Czech developer, known for its dedication to historical accuracy and immersive RPG systems in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, will now apply its expertise to Tolkien's legendary fantasy world. This marks a significant shift for a studio that built its reputation on grounded, historically-focused medieval simulation.

The pairing is particularly intriguing given Warhorse's design philosophy. Kingdom Come deliberately avoided fantasy elements, instead focusing on realistic combat, survival mechanics, and period-accurate storytelling in 15th century Bohemia. Now they're tackling one of fantasy's most iconic settings, raising questions about how their simulation-heavy approach will translate to a world with magic, mythical creatures, and epic battles between good and evil.

What We Know So Far#

Details remain scarce on both projects. The Lord of the Rings RPG is described as open-world and set in Middle-earth, but Warhorse hasn't revealed which era of Tolkien's timeline the game will explore or what gameplay mechanics players can expect. The choice of era matters significantly for a Lord of the Rings game. Will it be set during the War of the Ring, allowing players to experience the events of the books from a new perspective? Or will Warhorse explore lesser-known periods like the Second Age, giving them more creative freedom to tell original stories within Tolkien's framework?

The open-world approach aligns with Warhorse's strengths. Kingdom Come's rendition of medieval Bohemia felt lived-in and authentic, with NPCs following daily routines and locations that served practical purposes beyond quest markers. Translating that philosophy to Middle-earth could result in one of the most immersive fantasy worlds in gaming, assuming Warhorse can balance their simulation tendencies with the larger-than-life nature of Tolkien's setting.

The new Kingdom Come game's scope and setting are similarly under wraps. Given Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 released recently, this could represent a third entry in the series or a different approach to the medieval RPG formula Warhorse established. The studio might be exploring a different historical period or region, or potentially refining systems that didn't fully land in the first two games. Kingdom Come's save system, lockpicking minigame, and combat learning curve all sparked debate in the community, so a new entry could address those pain points while doubling down on what worked.

The fact that Warhorse is developing both simultaneously is ambitious, especially for a studio of their size. Even with the backing of Embracer Group (their parent company), managing two large-scale RPGs presents significant resource challenges. However, this dual development might indicate the projects are at different stages, with one further along in production while the other is in early conceptual phases.

What This Means for RPG Fans#

Warhorse's track record with deep, systems-driven RPGs and attention to detail suggests both projects will prioritize immersion and player choice. The studio's ability to juggle two major titles simultaneously will be tested as development continues. The Lord of the Rings license also comes with expectations, both from Tolkien purists and gamers who remember the highs (Return of the King, Shadow of Mordor) and lows (Gollum) of Middle-earth adaptations.

The RPG space has been hungry for a definitive Lord of the Rings experience. While Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War delivered satisfying action, they took significant liberties with lore and focused on combat over roleplaying depth. If Warhorse brings the same commitment to authenticity they showed with Kingdom Come, treating Tolkien's world with the reverence they gave to historical Bohemia, this could finally be the deep Middle-earth RPG fans have been waiting for.

The timing is also notable. With Amazon's Rings of Power series keeping Middle-earth in the cultural conversation and the success of Baldur's Gate 3 proving there's massive appetite for complex, choice-driven RPGs, Warhorse is entering the market at a potentially ideal moment.