The anticipated The Lord of the Rings MMO from Amazon Games might have been canceled. At least, that’s what a former employee’s post on social media would suggest.
In a now-deleted post on LinkedIn, a former developer confirmed that they had been laid off from Amazon Games and specifically mentioned The Lord of the Rings MMO.
“This morning I was part of the layoffs at Amazon Games, alongside my incredibly talented peers on New World and our fledgling Lord of the Rings game (y’all would have loved it),” the post read. “It’s always tough to see such a strong team go through something like this — I’ve been lucky to work with some of the most skilled, creative, and kind developers I’ve ever met here.”
While that doesn’t outright confirm the game’s been shelved, the wording used in the post strongly suggests that’s the case. On top of that, sources who spoke to Insider Gaming are also of the belief that the game isn’t going to move forward, with one saying that the game is “likely done.” However, they wouldn’t outright confirm that it’s completely dead due to the IP involved.
Neither Amazon Games nor Embracer has responded to multiple requests for comment on the claims from the former employee along with what sources have said.
If this is the end for the MMO from Amazon, it likely won’t be the end for The Lord of the Rings as a video game franchise. Insider Gaming recently reported that a new third-person action game is in development with investment from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office.
What do you think of The Lord of the Rings game being canceled at Amazon Games? Do you think they try and save it somehow? Leave your thoughts down in the comments, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
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