Pandemic forging new Lord of the Rings game

Following a revealing EA presentation, the Mercenaries studio confirms new title in the franchise based on Peter Jackson's J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired films.

Yesterday's headlines were dominated by a fusillade of announcements from Electronic Arts following the publisher's meeting with investors. During the event, EA CEO John Riccitiello gave a presentation and talked about his company's future strategy. Besides revealing some optimistic financial projections and new game titles, the executive put up a slide to reveal that Pandemic Studios, the critically acclaimed shop behind Full Spectrum Warrior and the forthcoming Mercenaries 2, is working on a game based on the Lord of the Rings films.

But, while the slide clearly indicates Pandemic is working on a LOTR game, it is unclear exactly what game it is. Earlier in the presentation, Riccitiello repeated the news that a new title in the franchise--which EA renewed its license to last year--will ship during its next fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2009.

A rep for Pandemic confirmed to GameSpot that the studio is crafting a new title set in film director Peter Jackson's vision of author J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. However he couldn't confirm much more, saying only "Pandemic Studios will have more to reveal on this project in the very near future."

86 Comments

  • Troymaster12

    Posted Jul 24, 2008 10:35 am PT

    Lord of the Rings + Battlefront + PS3=AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!

  • spartanz13

    Posted Jul 21, 2008 12:17 pm PT

    man its going to really sweet to play a game like that

  • MydogJack

    Posted Jul 11, 2008 12:48 pm PT

    LOTR + Battlefront + Xbox 360 = Pure Genius

  • Strider_91

    Posted Jul 11, 2008 1:23 am PT

    This could be one of the best games to come out
    So excited and can't wait too get it.

  • LegendaryEpoch

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 3:49 pm PT

    LOTR: Battlefront style. Sweet. Playing as the Witch King ruling a battle with a felbeast. Dream come true... I really hope this game turns out to be good.

  • Millepe

    Posted Jun 25, 2008 1:03 pm PT

    Yeah Elder Scrolls would be cool. But I think this game is gonna be awesome I saw the add in Game informer and the graphics look fantastic.

  • Lucas325

    Posted Jun 24, 2008 2:20 pm PT

    i have been waiting for a game like this since i bought sw battlefront

  • newb16

    Posted Apr 13, 2008 5:19 am PT

    I dont think you people got on this website in 2006 when there was a lord of the rings game calld "Lord of The Rings: the white council". Which by the way you people need to be more alert when they come out with new games. Otherwise you will be doing the same exact thing you just did, which is not paying atention to what you are doing when you get on this website.

  • Brodoin15

    Posted Apr 12, 2008 2:19 pm PT

    Cool, 'bout time we got a new LOTR game.
    One like SW Battlefront would be cool, but I would like a Elder Scrolls like one.

  • Terminator736

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 3:36 pm PT

    LOTR Battlefront!!!!!!!

  • holyjim

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 5:34 pm PT

    I don't like the way this is written

    "Following a revealing EA presentation, the Mercenaries studio confirms new title in the franchise based on Peter Jackson's J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired films. "

    So , that means it's based on the movie, not the book?

  • Switch_Blade_91

    Posted Feb 28, 2008 6:11 am PT

    What would be cool is to have a LOR game like Star Wars BattleFront!

  • GodzillaX8

    Posted Feb 15, 2008 10:12 am PT

    Azwhtknight, play Lord of the Rings Online.

  • Azwhtknight

    Posted Feb 15, 2008 3:32 am PT

    I agree with badgert, a LOR game with the look of Oblivion would be awesome! Also, although it is an older game, I think another possibility would be a Baldur's Gate style, that would be awesome too. Just think about it, a game with the in-depth storyline and cool game-play of BG set in the LOR universe. You could create a unique party to travel Middle Earth with as you play through a new unique story with plenty of areas to roam and side quests to complete.

    Anyway, as a severe Tolkien fan, I hope that they can come up with the goods this time. Even though a lot of the LOR games are fun, they don't really provide gamers with a lot of wow-factor. There always seems to be just a little something missing. I will await more news of this game with reserved anticipation. I will also send Pandemic a challenge! "For all us gamers and all us Tolkien connoisseurs out there, I challenge you to knock our socks of and leave us breathless to the point of unconsciousness or else we will lock you in a room with Gollum until you solve the riddle of the game .......my precious!"

  • greasemonkey42

    Posted Feb 15, 2008 3:13 am PT

    CAN THIS ONE NOT SUCK?

    ....PLEASE???

  • Hyper_52

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 10:36 pm PT

    Ummm why would they create a Lord Of The Rings MMORPG when one already exists based on the books? (Phazevariance) It would crazy to try and compete. We have already have the RTS games and the Action games, so I hope this is something different. FPS? LOL!

  • CaptainHerlock

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 8:53 pm PT

    They didn't delay Mercenaries 2 for this game. They announced they are working on it. That's it. Anything that Pandemic does I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. So far everything they've done has been pretty darn good (except for Full Spectrum Warrior). Personally I'm looking forward to Saboteur.

  • THE_PREZIDENT

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 3:38 pm PT

    Wow, they delayed MERCS 2 for this? What gives?

  • makemeweak

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 12:09 pm PT

    I hope they restart development of the White Council game and give that to Pandemic. That game looked promising.

  • ghost867

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 11:56 am PT

    As long as it's not an MMO, it has potential in my opinion. Really, we don't need anymore MMOs. I hate the games, and I really don't want resources that could be spent on a great action game or an RPG wasted on an MMO.

  • Phazevariance

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 9:51 am PT

    Probably a MMORPG style game, that series is just asking for it. I can't see them doing another RTS already, I don't know how well the last 2 sold. I'd like to see a well written FPS based on that though.

  • Jedilink109

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 9:12 am PT

    I really am not sure what it could be. I just hope it's cool though. That's all you can hope for. Why don't they try making a game based solely on the books and instead come up with a new vision for Middle Earth other than Jackson's films. I mean I liked the movies but still, it would be interesting.

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 8:49 am PT

    I hate the LOTR games cause they mainly focus on making rts games and games based of the trilogy. Can't they make more original stuff making their own side stories in the same universe. It's why star wars games will always make the lotr games look like trash

  • MeleeMaster2

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 7:53 am PT

    I was hoping for a Silmarillion-based game, but this sounds like it could be pretty good.

  • DarkJedi8_basic

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 7:51 am PT

    I hope it's not a Star Wars: Battlefront 2 inspired Lord of the Rings type game.

  • NemesisLives

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 7:02 am PT

    OMG, not another one... -_-

  • KBABZ

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 6:48 am PT

    Jeez, ANOTHER Lord of the Rings game? This is starting to get dubious.

  • Witchsight

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 6:12 am PT

    Pandemic is golden, Ill tell you right now this means great things for LoTR fans. I cant wait!

  • selbie

    Posted Feb 14, 2008 12:41 am PT

    Please don't make another RTS. I want RPG Action / Adventure.

  • TehUndeadHorror

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 11:37 pm PT

    Just wondering... what else is there to make...?

  • ele975

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 11:18 pm PT

    this is just too suweet! Red Alert 3 is confirmed, the new Aliens full title is released and alot more other great news and this tops it all! a new Lotr game d(^-^)b this year is gonna beat 2007!

  • OfficialJab

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 10:53 pm PT

    Pandemic pwnz, and so does Lord of the Rings. I'm wet.

  • niteowl74

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 9:53 pm PT

    I hope its not like the earlier action games. The hit detection was so god awful. I like the Battlefront idea.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 8:44 pm PT

    One of them new fighting games like the old ones would be sweet

  • Ranglo

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 6:46 pm PT

    paullywog~ either you're being sarcastic (which does not come off very well on the net), or you have only played a baby's handful of Star Wars games. There are far more bad star wars games than there are good. LOTR, the ratio of bad to good is not as high.....although i could easily name some s****y ones.

  • GogetaX

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 6:45 pm PT

    I wanna be a Balrog and be able to ride a Dragon. =D. Like someone else said an Oblivion-style LOTR game would rock the casbah. Just include dragons and Balrogs!!!!

  • McHenry2

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 6:26 pm PT

    LOTR TOTAL WAR

  • stealth89

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 5:48 pm PT

    as badgert said, and oblivion style LOTR game would be beyond awesome.

  • Lumenadducere

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 5:46 pm PT

    Sounds good - I wonder what kind of game it'll be?

  • footfoe2

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 5:42 pm PT

    LOrd of the rings?!?!?!?!?! rock on just dont screw it up, EA, like you allways do

  • aragon245

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 5:27 pm PT

    I trust Pandemic, so this oughta be good.

  • SidV101

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 5:19 pm PT

    paullywog there are plenty of bad star wars and LOTR games.

  • DEWMAN08

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 5:19 pm PT

    Ehhh.....

  • kreisler

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 5:08 pm PT

    just give us ... LOTR: TOTAL WAR Mega Extreme Bloodbath Sauron Edition

  • paullywog

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 4:48 pm PT

    Keep it up, i never want a bad Star Wars of LOTR game. I've never seen one.

  • nsmnpc5000

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 4:48 pm PT

    Hopefully Pandemic churns out a game that is both different in style from their previous games and has a plot line that varies somewhat from the movies. We've all seen the movies, played the games and quite possibly read the books. There is a ton of universe to play around with and Pandemic could have a lot of fun with the license if they're allow to.

  • Drazule

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 4:42 pm PT

    I coulld see a LOTR: battlefront, with various base solidires like pikeman(tower guard ect.) Archer( archer, urik'hai crossbow) swordsman and stuff

  • Nintendus21

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 4:31 pm PT

    Lately I've noticed that EA's the main talk right now. Lets hope this game will come out good like the movies and books do.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 4:26 pm PT

    That should be interesting, as they were the ones to develop the Destroy All Human, Full Spectrum Warrior games, and Star Wars Battlefront series, and no two series really seem the same. And this LOTR game is listed as an action genre game. I wonder what they'll come up with. I'm surprised EA hasn't given up on the series yet, after publishing nearly a dozen different LOTR games already, though, all I've tried thus far is Battle for Middle Earth II.

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