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Middle Earth has been getting quite a lot of attention lately with the upcoming release of The Rings of Power TV series on Amazon. A game featuring legendary character Gollum is also in the works by Daedalic Entertainment, setting its sights on a late 2022 release date.
Weta Workshop, a New Zealand-based special effects company, recently announced a partnership with video game publisher Private Division on a new game set in Middle Earth. The news has gotten the industry talking, as this will mark the first time that Weta will step into the gaming business. The group has previously done splendid work in several movies, though, including The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
With Weta working on the new Middle Earth game, many have speculated that it will be a massive undertaking, as the game will be an authentic recreation of the world as seen in the movies. Details regarding the game are scarce as it is possibly in the very early stages of development.
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However, one can still theorize on several aspects of the game, primarily the time period in the history of Arda. Here are five possible settings where the upcoming Middle Earth game might take place.
The article reflects the writer's opinion.
5 time periods that might be explored in the upcoming Middle Earth game
1) First Age - Beleriand
While this is the unlikeliest option, it is worth giving a mention here. The First Age of The Lord of the Rings has been illustrated in The Silmarillion. It tells the first tale of greed and power involving the fabled jewels known as the Silmarils.
The story then leads into Middle Earth, to a land known as Beleriand, and sees the first alliance of Elves and Men as they face the evil of Morgoth. Numerous wars were fought during this time, as Men and Elves learned to trust one another and merge their houses into one.
While this would serve as a spectacular setting for a video game or a live-action adaptation, the rights to adapt The Silmarillion have not been sold to third parties and lie solely with the Tolkien Estate. Unless Private Division has made a secret deal with the Estate, the First Age of this fictional world remains off-limits.
2) Fourth Age - Arnor & Gondor
Those familiar with The Lord of the Rings movies and books would know that they end with the defeat of Sauron (The Big Bad, who was himself a servant of Morgoth), which ushers in the Fourth Age of the world. It can be easy to assume that this age is the happy ending that Middle Earth deserves, as all the characters are smiling and happy at this point.
However, that is far from the truth, as it is fated that one final battle is yet to take place, one that will signal the end times. Known as Dagor Dagorath or the Final Battle in the books, it is said to take place when Morgoth makes his return, with the Valar (gods) meeting him in battle once more.
While not featuring in the final battle, which would be a disservice to Tolkien’s works for many, the game could feature events in the Fourth Age that lead up to it. This way, it will have a lot of creative freedom, as well as the opportunity to create an all-new cast and crew to tell a new story with.
3) Second Age - Numenor
The Second Age is possibly the likeliest period for the game to be set in, as it will be something audiences will be familiar with after The Rings of Power series airs. One of the new locations that the series will explore is Numenor, the land from where the race of the gifted men, known as the Edain, come from.
Numenor is an interesting setting as much of its history is already mapped, but it also leaves a lot of creative room for new stories. The new game could take a similar approach to Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War games and tell a new story in these lands - hopefully one that does not contradict any of the established lore.
Setting the stage in Numenor will mean that the game cannot take an RPG approach and will be an action-adventure title, as players will be limited to the race of Men as the only playable option. Games set in a fantasy world work best when they let players embrace the role-playing aspect, which is why the next two entries in this list are possibly the most suitable ones.
4) Third Age - All of Middle Earth
A game set during the same period as the Lord of the Rings or Hobbit movies seems like a good bet to get audiences interested. After all, Weta Workshop has worked on both these projects in the visual effects department as well as the CGI. They would have the necessary data to create a world that is reminiscent of the movies.
Creating an open-world RPG using the map of Middle Earth, as seen in the LOTR books, would also be an excellent move, as players would get to explore tons of iconic locations that they have only previously seen on the silver screen. The map would possibly have to be divided into a few large explorable areas, but that will be a small price to pay.
A role-playing approach would be the best way to go, as it would let players choose to play as any of the available races seen in the fictional world. Similar to the MMORPG, LOTR Online, players should have the option to play between Humans, Elves, Dwarfs, and of course, Hobbits.
5) Second Age - Lindon & Eriador
Since the game will be released in at least a couple of years, it will also have the opportunity to pull from the lore seen in The Rings of Power series. While the series will feature Numenor, as discussed above, it will mainly be set on the mainland of Middle Earth, in the kingdom of Lindon and Eriador.
Thus, the game can pull from these elements along with Tolkien’s works and set the stage for the Second Age. It could depict the rise of Sauron to power, as well as the arrival of the Ringwraiths. This time, Men and Elves worked together to keep the forces of the Dark Lord at bay as he amassed strength and gathered his forces.
An open world set around Lindon and Eriador would be an ideal size for the game world, letting players pick their races would be a bonus treat. The story could depict the lead-up to the final battle with Sauron, where he was defeated and the One Ring was taken from him.
