In the many decades since its publication, there have been dozens of different Lord of the Rings editions, but some of them remain absolute must-haves for ??diehard J.R.R. Tol?kien fans.

From gorgeous paperbacks to iconic hardcovers, these are some of the best Lord of the Rings box sets and deluxe editions you could tre??at yourself to or buy for your closest friends.

10. The Lord of the Rings (William Morrow 1988 edition)

This hardcover edition of The Lord of the Rings, first published in 1988, has beautiful artwork and comes with folded maps of Middle-earth. You may find small errors in the text throughout, as this is not the most error-proof Lord of the Rings box set out there, but there's something extremely charming about the cover art ?that will no doubt compel many people to go for this print.

9. The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit (HarperCollins 2017 edition)

This box set features hardcover editions of both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The smaller size, similar to many mass-market books, might appeal to those who wish to take their books everywhere. And indeed, all four of these could easily fit in your small bag or even your pocket. The only downside is that the font is incredibly small, and the papers are a bit thin, which means you'll get a bit of ghosting from the pages. That said, the minimalistic cover art is absolutely irresistible, not to mention The Hobbit cover artwork by Tolkien himself is gorgeous and au??thentic to his own vision of what the story shou??ld project.

8. The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit (Mariner paperback)

Now this is what I'd refer to as my Lord of the Rings workhorse reading copy. The cover of the first book features a circular outline alluding to the Rings of Power and the Eye of Sauron. The second book features the Two Towers, Minas Tirith, the Tower of the Sun, and Minas Ithil, the Tower of the Moon. The third book features the emblem of Gondor, drawn in gorgeous detail. If you want a handy Lord of the Rings box set that you can read again a??nd again with ease, then you can'??t go wrong with this version.

7. The Lord of the Rings (Clarion 2020 box set)

This is a fairly new addition to the ever-growing collection of Tolkien box sets out there, but it's steadily going up in our list of all-time favorite Lord of the Rings prints. While most Tolkien books feature minimalistic artwork or, at best, Alan Lee's naturalistic watercolors, the Clarion set introduces a modern take on the trilogy. The Fellowship of the Ring entertains the gorgeous art of a Ringwraith, while The Two Towers shows the art of Barad-dur in all of its terrifying gloom. The Return of the King features Aragorn's re-forged Anduril, and all three boast J.R.R. Tolkien's iconic signature at the top. If you want to introduce a new friend to The Lord of the Rings, this is the box set you should buy for them.

6. The Lord of the Rings (illustrated by the author Deluxe edition)

Frankly, I don't know why anyone would buy this unless they're a huge Lord of the Rings fan. This deluxe edition from 2022 is gigantic, but the great thing about its design is that it reminds you of The Red Book of Westmarch, which is the in-universe book containing the accounts of both the stories of Bilbo and Frodo. There are also 30 color illustrations from Tolkien as he was composing his epic magnum opus. The deluxe hardcover further includes two removable maps drawn by Christopher ??Tolkien, which f??eature Middle-earth and its various regions in detail. Be forewarned, though; This isn't a book you hold in your hand and read. This is a book you ever so rarely pick up from your shelf to admire. So, if you have a dear friend or family member who is a huge Tolkien fan, getting this would make them the happiest person in the entire geekdom.

5. The Lord of the Rings (illustrated by the author hardback edition)

Another somewhat deluxe Lord of the Rings edition you could get is the 2021 hardcover by William Morrow. The red, black, and gold engravings on the cover are a joy to drink in, but what makes this print truly unique is the Ring-inscription in Tengwar, painted on a fully red fore-edge. This version also includes the author's paintings and is overall easier to use or read. J.R.R. Tolkien always intended The Lord of the Rings to be published under a single volume, and I do not?? doubt tha?t he would've been proud of this if he were around to see it.

4. The Lord of the Rings (2013 slipcased and illustrated edition)

It is uncanny how much I love this particular edition of The Lord of the Rings, made complete with Alan Lee's gorgeous illustrations. The blue spine, featuring the names of the three volumes as well as a circular engraving of the One Ring inscription, is aesthetically pleasing, while the iconic painting of Frodo and Sam approaching the Black Gate graces the front with no other appendage. The illustrations inside are high quality, and the font size is just right. I don't know how to quite put it, but this edition somehow brings to mind what a definitive Bible-esque version of The Lord of the Rings would look like.

3. The Lord of the Rings (2014 hardcover box set)

While this 2014 hardcover box set may not be the best Lord of the Rings edition objectively, I'd say it has the most gorgeous-looking covers in the book's entire publication history. The covers are edited versions of the older HarperCollins editions, but it's exactly those small details that make everything infinitely better. That is especially true of The Return of the King, which has received the biggest refinements. The papers are also extremely thin, making the books all the more easier to handle. Last but not least, this box set comes with the acclaimed Reader's Companion, which goes from chapter to chapter, examining the structure and the behind-the-scenes process of their?? evolution.

2. The Lord of the Rings (2020 HarperCollins illustrated edition)

While I'm strongly partial to the 2014 hardcover set (with the Reader's Companion) and the 2013 slipcased edition, if someone were to ask me what's the all-time great Lord of the Rings box set, I'd point them to the 2020 HarperCollins illustrated editions, featuring Alan Lee's gorgeous art on the covers. This is essentially similar to the illustrated one-volume versions, with the exception that they've now been divided into three again. The font and page layout are stunning, and the artwork really takes you into the world. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more spectacular and attention-grabbing cover than Lee's art for Rivendell (on The Fellowship), Frodo approaching Cirith Ungol (on The Two Towers), and the Battle of Pelennor Fields (on The Return) not to mention good old Bilbo Baggins lounging in Bag End on The Hobbit.

1. The Lord of the Rings (50th-anniversary Deluxe edition)

If you're looking for a one-volume edition of The Lord of the Rings that's actually practical to read and use regularly, then the 50th-anniversary deluxe edition by William Morrow is your best bet. The cover is somewhere between a paperback and a hardcover, and the binding has been designed in a way to make the experience of opening the book and leafing through it as comfortable as possible. But what ultimately appeals to me about this edition, besides the fact that it includes all three volumes and the appendices while also being handy, is the beautiful, minimalistic grey cover. Out of all the different editions of The Lord of the Rings, t?his one feels the ??least showy and the most Tolkien-y I've come across, if that makes any sense.

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If you were growing out your feet hair in preparation for Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game [sic], then you may want to shave them, lest they become dreadlocked. Private Division has announced that it has been delayed to 2025.

To be fair, the only release window we had previously was 2024. If we want to be techn?ical, maybe they had an internal launch date of December 31, 2024, and now they’ve moved it to January 1st, 2025. We do?n’t know! Maybe the delay is only big in our minds.

Sorry, I got on a tangent there. Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game �yes, I’m writing that out every time. It’s ridiculous even without the fat �after “rings �is a game about being a hobbit and living in the Shire. After all, who doesn’t dream of living in the Shire? The rest of the story might be gloomy and adventuresome, but the Shire is cozier than a pillow fort. Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game takes you there and has you fish and garden so you can share food with your neighbors. I’m not even a big The Lord of the Rings fan, and I love the idea.

While the game may be delayed, Private Division suggests tuning into their “A Hobbit Day Showcas?e�for another look at the game on September 22. I’m sure watching someone else enjoy the game will rea??lly make the wait that much easier.

Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game is coming to Switch, ?PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC sometim?e in 2025.

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A Lord of the Rings reunion may be brewing as more actors lay in on their possible return for The Hunt for Gollum fi?lm. Sir Ian McKellen was among the first to be approached for his iconic role of Gandalf, and now everyone's favorite bow-wielding Sindar Elf, Legola??s, could be added to the lineup.

Orlando Bloom teased his The Lord of the Rings comeback during an interview with Variety, discussing his interest in the upcoming m??ovie. In it, he states, "Yeah, I don't know how they'd do it. I guess with AI you can do anyth?ing these days. But, if Peter [Peter Jackson] says jump, I say, 'how high?' I mean, he started my whole career."

Based on this, it's safe to sa??y that Bloom would be open to Legolas' return, but with an AI twist. The Gollum movie will likely be a prequel, so a de-aging process would make sense, especially with the elves' p??redominately "young" appearance.

Bloom continues on with the topic of AI during a previous discussion with The Hunt for Gollum's star and director, Andy Serkis. He states, “I did speak to Andy [Serkis] and he did say they were thinking about how to do things. I was like, ‘How would that even work?â€?And he w??as like, ‘Well, AI!â€?and I was like, ‘Oh, OK!â€?  

I'm curious to discover the mystery behind Bloom and Serkis' hints in the interview. I mean, how exactly could Legolas and Gollum cross paths? Would Legolas be strolling about Middle Earth and then just happen to encounter the "My Precious!" preaching fiend? Or perhaps they'll have two stories going on in standard LOTR fashion. Whatever the case may be, it ind??eed boggles the mind.

We also have to consider that Gandalf may be another potential character of the group. In an interview with Big Issue, McKellen mentions, "I’ve just been told there are going to be more films and Gandalf will be involved, and they hope that I’ll be playing him." He then says that the studio better quickly get him on board in light of The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum's release.

This wouldn't be the first time McKellen and Bloom reprised their beloved roles, as seen in The Hobbit trilogy (Serkis included). Now, we can only hope ?that they'll make their mark once again in the upcoming film.

Currently, The Hunt for Gollum is slated for a 2026 tentative release date. The original director of The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson, has als?o returned, but this time as a producer. Even though its plot continues to be surrounded by secrecy, more news could be on the horizon with th??e latest hints. Just please, Andy Serkis, all I ask is for you to say, "My Precious!" at least once in the film, and we're golden.

The post Remember The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum? Well, it might have ??another returning cast member appeared first on Destructoid.

Despite what many may assume, and irrespective of the sheer number of books out there, Fantasy and Epic Fantasy are still b??urgeoning genres in fictio?n.

For centuries, writers constrained ?themselves to literary drama and kept clear of mythology but for a few allusions here and there. And then came Professor Tolkien, a linguist with a knack for names and an even greater gift for the imaginative, who, in his toil, started a movement that reconciled literary fiction with mythological storytelling and set the foundations for much of what we today refer to as speculative fiction.

Over the decades since the release of The Lord of the Rings, many writers have picked up the gauntlet and put their own spins on this ever-evolving genre. Picking 10 out of dozens and dozens of these brilliant wordsmiths and inspired storytellers is a bit of a grating task. Still, I think we can all agree that there are certain names?? whose legacy remains unforgettable when it comes down to it.

C. S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia is one of the most influential fantasy book series ever. To say that Lewis ??has had a hand in shaping the genre storytelling landscape would be a huge understatement because the world of Narnia is now not only a gateway to children’s literature but also one of the most deliberative works of fiction. Many popular contemporary fantasy stories like The Magicians, Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, and Percy Jackson & the Olympians trace their roots to Lewis�work in the early �0s.

Ursula K. Le Guin

Speaking of authors who themselves have helped define a whole generation of storytellers, Ursula K. Le Guin deserves a spot on this list for her many contributions to the genre through The Earthsea Cycle. Her novel A Wizard of Earthsea, now considered a classic of adventure fantasy, is the perfect blend of traditional fantasy (alluding to Tolkien) tropes and modern sociopolitical elements. Neil Gaiman has repeatedly cited the ??award-winning novelist and poet as a huge influence on his craft, while many other great names like Margaret Atwood, N. K. Jemisin, and Patrick Rothfuss haven’t been far behind in heaping praise on K. Le Guin’s enormous?? legacy.

George R.R. Martin

There have been many worldbuilders and storytellers after Tolkien, but George R.R. Martin is one of the few who seems to have it all: A knack for crafting fictional places and histories, mastery of prose that comes off as neither flowery nor bland, and the capacity to come up with extremely compelling characters. All of that has turned Game of Thrones and the world of Westeros into one of the most influential works of fantasy in the p??ast few decades. And sure, much to the dissatisfaction of his enormous fanbase, Martin has yet to bring the series to a conclusion, but that by no means diminishes his influence on the genre. Some creatives certainly take their time getting there, but there’s no denying that the wait is worth it when they do.

Brandon Sanderson

If there’s one name out there who has been as influential as Martin, if not more, it’s the prolific and relentless writing machine who goes by the name of Brandon Sanderson. As the creator of such highly acclaimed works as Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, the last three Wheel of Time b?ooks, and dozens of other praised novels, Sanderson is currently the king and champion of the Epic Fantasy genre. Sanderson is known for his intricate worldbuilding, complex magic systems, nuanced characters, and gob-smacking twists. He’s also the one fantasy author you can trust to always deliver his sequels on schedule.

Neil Gaiman

Known for popular books like Stardust, Coraline, American Gods, Good Omens, and The Sandman comic series, Neil Gaiman is one of the most prominent figures of literary fiction right now. Gaiman is often praised for ??his versatility in weaving together different genres, his talent for lyrica?l and deeply allusive prose, and his massive influence on pop culture. Many of Gaiman’s works have been adapted into films, animations, television shows, and graphic novels. Gaiman’s self-described mission is to “make good art,�and he’s been at it for as long as he’s been able to hold a pen.

Robert Jordan

There are a lot of similarities between Robert Jordan and J. R. R. Tolkien. Both were veterans of a vicious war, Tolkien in the trenches of World War I and Jordan in the unforgiving deltas of Vietnam. Both filled the void left by that terrible experience through telling stories. Both have been credited as heralds and pioneers of the Epic Fantasy genre. Perhaps it would be no hyperbole to suggest that Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time was the true heir to The Lord of the Rings and the most popular work in the genre until J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter took the world by storm. Even now, The Wheel of Time remains the perfect bridge between J. R. R. Tolkien’s traditional take on mythology and George R. R. Martin and many other contemporaries�newer, grimmer spin on the genre. Indeed, in many ways, The Wheel of Time features the best of both worlds.

J. K. Rowling

These days, Rowling is a figure of controversy, engulfed in the culture war raging between conservatives and liberals, but there was a time when everyone with a love for fantasy and the speculative genre had become obsessed with her story of The Boy Who Lived. With over 500 million sales, Harry Potter is still the best-selling fantasy book series of all time, and Rowling’s Wizarding World remains a sensational escapist abode for its dedicated community. Granted, the story may have been derivative to some extent, but there’s no arguing the magic of Harry Potter is still very much real, nor is there any doubt that Rowli??ng has changed the game forev??er.

Patrick Rothfuss

The idea of The Kingkiller Chronicle was to come up with a fantasy story that not only combines elements from differ??ent subgenres but also renovates them in inventive ways. It took Patrick Rothfuss more than ten years to finish drafting and revising The Name of the Wind, but all of that toil was well worth it for a book that became a sensational hit in the Epic Fantasy community. The tale of Kvothe Kingkiller is chock full of emotion, adventure, wisdom, and folly, and Rothfuss�flowery prose guarantees a reading experience un?like anything you’ve come across before. We could criticize Rothfuss for failing to release the third and final book in the series through all these years �and rightly so �but there’s no denying that The Kingkiller Chronicle will go down as one of the most influential works of Epic Fantasy and on a larger scale, fiction.

Robin Hobb

Serving as a huge influence on many contemporaries like Rothfuss, George R.R. Martin, and Brandon Sanderson, Robin Hobb remains a behemoth of the genre thanks to his Realm of the Elderlings series, more famously known as the Farseer saga. Robin’s prose is powerful and enchanting, her character work is incredibly compelling and driven, and her themes are dark and contemplative. The Farseer Trilogy might remind you of some of the best qualities in Game of Thrones, but the series as a whole has much more to offer. Be forewarned, though; where Hobb treads, unspeakable, heart-rending trag??edy is not far behind.

J. R. R. Tolkien

When talking about the greatest authors in the history of speculative storytelling, you can’t fail to include J.R.R. Tolkien �and not merely for spearheading the literary movement. Even now, no author has managed to soar quite as high as Tolkien did regarding worldbuilding. What the Oxford linguist professor did with his so-called “Legendarium�is the history of an entire universe mirroring our own. The story of creation, the song of Ainulindalë, the fall of Melkor, the tale of the Silmarils, the woes of Beren and Lúthien Tinúviel, the War of Wrath, the reappearance of Sauron, and lastly, the War of the Ring, all comprise a tale unli?ke any other.

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Epic Fantasy is a ge??nre that encompasses all the other literary traditions inside itself, so when talking about the most popular books shaping its long history, it’s not surprising to be confronted with a plethora of widely disparate stories, characters, and worlds.

Whether it be the rolling hills of Middle-earth, where the Free Peo?ples fight against the Shadow emerging from the eastern sky, or the high storms of Roshar sweeping across the continent and reminding the world of what it has forgotten, or even th??e petty feuds of the lords and ladies of the Seven Kingdoms and the commoners ever embroiled in their conflicts, the Fantasy genre has something to offer to anyone.

But though the number of acclaimed Fantasy books is al??ready beyond count �despite the relatively short time since it rose to popularity in the �0s �there are some names that, through popularity or influence or standing the test of time, have managed to become timeless.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Having sold over 500 million copies worldwide, Harry Potter is undoubtedly the most popular and recognizable name in fantasy. The story of The Boy Who Lived finds new fans in every generation of young readers, and the acclaimed movie adaptations have assured J.K. Rowling’s immortality in the speculative fiction landscape. Harry Potter might be derivative and, at times, underwhelming, especially for seas?oned fantasy readers, but there’s a sense of sincerity and warmth within Rowling’s pages that you can’t quite f??ind anywhere else.

The Lord of the Rings (and The Hobbit) by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings was the much-awaited sequel to The Hobbit and took the world by storm when it came out in 1954. In one of the initial reviews, The Sunday Times praised Tolkien’s achievement by writing: “The English-speaking world is divided into those who have read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and th??ose who are g?oing to read them.�Many years later, these words sound almost prophetic. We don’t have Eru Ilúvatar’s omniscience to claim there would be no High Fantasy today without Tolkien, but we do know the entertainment world would not be the same.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was once many a child’s most memorable fantasy read before taking on serious stories. I remember going through the pages and being absolutely enamored by the world C.S. Lewis was spinning into existence. I also remember asking my parents to buy me the sequel before the first book was even finished. In a lot of ways, The Chronicles of Narnia is like the compromise between Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, which built an imaginative world from the ground up, and Rowling’s Harry Potter, which combined the fantastical with the real.

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

While there’s no denying that Tolkien’s legacy was mountainous, what followed after The Lord of the Rings was a string of unoriginal, generic rip-offs that all wanted to jump on the bandwagon and imitate the professor’s success. In fact, it wasn’t until writers like Robert Jordan and George R.R. Martin came along to breathe fresh air into the lungs of this tenuous new beast that Epic Fantasy truly began to soar as a genre. The Wheel of Time by the former is one such work that built on Tolkien’s legacy and, having sold close to 100 million copies since its conception, remains one of the most ambitious feats of imaginative wor??ldbuilding ever attemp??ted.

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

George R.R. Martin may not have become as successful and prominent as he is today without HBO’s Game of Thrones, but the fact that Westeros is here to stay �whether it be true popular spinoffs like House of the Dragon or the books�own lingering hype despite the decade-long drought �can only be a testament to his power as an author. Martin has changed the game forever, but more importantly, this is exactly what Epic Fantasy needed to stay relevant after Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy in the early 2000s.

Discworld by Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett is a voice to be celebrated, and his Discworld series remains one of the best-selling, most popular fantasy books of all time. Now, it doesn’t? matter how many (or how few) publications decide to write asinine articles about how his literary achievement is overstated (if you know, you know) because there’s always a place in Pratchett’s books for people who are looking for a bit of humorous escapist fantasy to lay down some of their burdens.

The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice

This might be a rather odd inclusion, but considering the fact that The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice has sold tens of millions of copies since its release, it should, by definition, have a place in the list of the most popular fantasy books in history. What’s more, there’s no doubt that Anne Rice hugely influenced the gothic and urban fantasy movement with The Vampire Chronicles. The st??ory was progressive for its time, and its motifs still play a part in i??nforming many other gothic fantasy books.

The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Say what you will about Twilight and its literary value �or lack thereof �but at the very least, the case of Stephenie Meyer and her huge success should be studied. Now, I’ll admit that I dropped the first book a mere 100 pages in, but the story has certainly left a mark in the fantasy space. Several popular and even acclaimed book series, like A Court of Thorns and Roses or the new BookTok sensation Fourth Wing, trace their popularity and s??tanding back to Meyer’s work.

The Dark Tower by Stephen King

While you can always expect to find the fantastical in Stephen King’s works, it wasn’t until The Dark Tower that the author forgot about dipping his toes into the genre and dived headfirst into it with a grimdark tale combining tropes fro?m several genres like fantasy, sci-fi, and Spaghetti Western. The seven-book series has sold 30 million copies and is among the finer works in the Epic Fantasy space.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan

At first glance, Percy Jackson might come off as a Harry Potter clone due to everything it derives from Rowling’s themes and motifs, but the story has much more to offer thanks to Riordan’s brilliant prose and amazing characterization. Percy Jackson and the Olympians books are now among the best-selling fantasy stories in the world,?? and the new Amazon adaptation is sure to?? increase that popularity tenfold.

This was our list of some of the most popular fantasy book series out there, but as they say, popularity a great piece of art doth not make. So, to read our picks for the ten best fantasy book series of all time, head to this article.

The post 10 most popular fantasy book series ever appeared first on Destructoid.

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is an expansive, immersive, and cooperative delve into the world of Middle Earth. With the heroes you choose and the deck you build, you’ll explore all of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world, from the lowest dungeon to the highest peak. There are more than a hundred available scenarios t??o play spread across the game’s expansions, along with near-limitless customization options when it comes to selecting pla??yer cards.

With the recent release of the repackaged Ered Mithrin campaign, there’s a wide selection of LOTR LCG expansions to choose from, even in 2024. While some expansions may have limited availability, Fantasy Flight Games has, for the most part, reprinted the game’s best content. Let’s take a look at some of the best overall additions to the game you should consider purchasing after beat?ing the core set.

10. Lord of the Rings Starter Decks

To discover more of the game’s variability in terms of deck-building, you may first want to consider purchasing a few of the game’s starter decks. The Elves of Lorien is in my opinion the best of the bunch, while the Riders of Rohan stalls a bit more than the others. Thankfully, you can look at exactly what’s inside each of them on the community website Hall of Beorn.

9. The Dream-chaser Hero Expansion

Repackaged content in the Lord of the Rings living card game is often divided between campaign and hero expansions, with the latter containing only player cards. The Dream-chaser’s player cards feature a wide blend of tra??its and archetypes, which can be tougher for new players when deck-building.

8. The Steward’s Fear

Though you won’t be able to play the scenario in The Steward’s Fear box without the Heirs of Númenor deluxe expansion, the ??player cards alone make this purchase worth it. Inside, you’ll find ??a near-complete Outlands deck.

7. Angmar Awakened Campaign Expansion

The Angmar Awakened campaign is mercilessly difficult, even ??for long-time players. However, if you enjoy the game’s more challenging scenarios, you might want to consider picking this one?? up. I’d advise owning at least a starter deck or hero expansion alongside it.

6. Angmar Awakened Hero Expansion

The player cards from the Angmar Awakened cycle include a handful of all-star heroes, including Arw??en,?? Erestor, and Merry. The box also comes with a new mechanic in player side quests. 

5. The Dream-chaser Campaign Expansion

Scenarios in the Dream-chaser campaign expansion take players across the vast expanses of Middle Earth’s ocea?ns to the ruins of Númenor. The ??sailing mechanics, underwater locations, and overall storyline are very immersive.

4. Ered Mithrin Campaign Expansion 

I?n your journey across the wilds of Rhovanion, you’ll get lost in Mirkwood, battle dragons, and explore the depths of Mount Gundabad. Almost every scenario here is a home run.

3. Ered Mithrin Hero Expansion

The Ered Mithrin hero expansion is a great place to start expanding your player card collectio??n. The box allows you to create a Dale-archetype deck that’s arguably stronger than the starter decks. You’ll also be able to tinker with “guarded�player cards.

2. The Two Towers Saga Expansion

The best Lord of the Rings card game expansions are of course those that follow the main story ?of J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece novels. The Battle of Helm’s Deep is an iconic scenario for the game, as is?? Shelob’s Lair. The box contains both player cards and quests.  

1. The Fellowship of the Ring Saga Expansion

The Fellowship of the Ring expansion takes players from the rolling hills of the Shire, to Bree and Rivendell, and through the dark of Moria. The thematics of this expansion are incredible, as are the heroes, attachments, allie?s, and events.

If you’ve completed the core set and want to start expanding your game, I’d recommend starting here. Like The Two Towers saga expansio??n, you’ll get? a mix of player cards and quests.

The post The 10 Best Expansion??s for Lord of the Rings: The Card Game appeared first on Destructoid.

Do you also randomly find yourself craving a new fantasy book series to lose yourself in, on the off-chance that it might turn into your ne?xt big obsession? Because we certainly do!

Fantasy, as a subgenre of literary fiction, has been around for quite a while now. The ??better part of a century, to be precise. But suppose you’re not particularly inclined to echo what snobs say about speculative storytelling and extend that definition to cover the real breadth of the subject matter. In that case, fantasy has existed for as long as people hav??e.

Where once we would call on The Epic of Gilgamesh, or Homer’s Iliad, or The Poetic Edda to read humanity’s collective chronicle, this tradition is now being c?arried forward by authors who tap?? into the wellspring of their imagination to speak of worlds hitherto unseen, characters defiant against the calamity of their doom, and stories lost in the whirlpool of time.

The rise of High Fantasy literature in the mid-20th century, spurred by the enormous success of The Lord of the Rings, has led to the crea?tion of hundreds of imaginary worlds and thousands of fantasy novels. But among all these innumerable tales of love and tragedy, only a few have reached the same heights as J.R.R. Tolkien’s timeless tale, let alone surpass it in quality.

So, gather ye around this imaginary hearth, and let us leaf through the pages of the speculative genre’s ri??ch history to find works that not only build on that mountainous ?legacy but also subvert it in clever ways.

What follows are some of the best fantasy book series of all time, and your?? only thou??ght by the end of this list will not be whether to pick up another fantasy series, but which of them to pick up first.

10. Discworld by Terry Pratchett

If you’re looking for a bit of light reading, or are fresh off a grimdark fantasy series and can’t possibly stomach any more of the gloomy stuff, then Discworld by Terry Pratchett is the story for you. Discworld is a book series that spends half of its time not taking itself seriously, and the other half making fun of cliché fantasy tropes. But don’t let Pratchett’s light and absurdist tone trick you into thinking that Discworld isn’t here to discuss important themes, even if it happens to take place on a flat, disc-shaped world resting on the backs of four giant elephants, who i??n turn are standing on a giant space turtle. Yes, you read that correctly. No, it'll never get old, not even after reading the series in its entirety.

9. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie

There have been many attempts in history to subvert J.R.R. Tolkien by going in the opposite direction and doing exactly the reverse of everything he did with his work. As you’d expect, most of them have failed. But i?f there’s one person who can pull off that dark, gritty fantasy storytelling and not come off as an unoriginal try-hard, it’s the Lord Grimdark himself, Joe Abercrombie.

If you love Game of Thrones, you’re going to love The First Law trilogy as well. The story takes place in a world where the only rule is the rule of morally ambiguous, philosophically conflicted characters; a war-torn wasteland of a society tha??t eerily ??and compellingly mirrors our world. And did I tell you about the prose? Joe Abercrombie is one of the greatest wordsmiths of our time, even if he himself is usually too humble to admit it.

8. The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin

Speaking of great prose, The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin definitely deserves a spot on this list, if for nothing besides the fact that it has influenced so many writers over the years. Le Guin is known for her brilliant character work and amazing, lyrical prose. The Earthsea Cycle is a must-read for every fantasy fan out there, as it inherits Tolkien’s legacy and bears it forward with a sense of reverence and simultaneous autonomy that few authors have managed to imitate over the decades. Another great thing about Earthsea is its reasonable length. If you’re not a fan?? of those chunky, 1000-page fantasy novels, then Le Guin’s narrative structure of mostly 200 to 300-page tales will not disappoint.

7. Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson

As Erikson himself writes in the prelude to Malazan Book of the Fallen, this entire series has been written with only one question in mind: How ambitious can a fantasy author aspire to be before his own artistic volitions get in the way of a good time? Erikson’s fictional world is vicious, complex, and unforgiving. But Malazan is, above all else, challenging.

Those who’ve read through the 10-book behemoth describe it as a life-changing experience, but only if you fight your way through an uphill battle of confusion in the first three novels. Unlike most authors out there, Erikson doesn’t hold your hand. He thrusts you into the middle of his tale, trusting you to pick up the pieces of the puzzle as they move along. And while some may find that notion appealing, others are understandably put off by it. Still, there’s no denying that Malazan has a place in the High Fantasy Hall of Fame.

6. The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb

If you love fantasy and tragedy, then The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb is the perfect mixture of those two elements. Beginning with the acclaimed Farseer trilogy and taking pla?ce in the fictional Six Duchies, this story mostly revolves around a royal bastard called FitChivalry Farseer. It is also narrated in the first-person, with Fitz telling his story to an unspecified audience in the future. Hobb is a master of her craft, and her storytelling chops can give most fantasy authors a run for their money. And that’s not even to mention her brilliant prose.

But I’ll be honest with you; reading the Farseer trilogy left me broken, spiritually and emotionally. In fact, a part of me remains broken to this day thanks to Hobb, but I guess at the same time, the biggest commendation I could give her is that I don’t?? regret it one bit.

5. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

It would not be an overstatement to suggest George R.R. Martin is the most influential High Fantasy writer after Tolkien. While A Song of Ice and Fire was mostly unheard of before the success of HBO’s Game of Thrones, those in the community had sung Martin’s praises for years, long before his books became a sensation in the? public eye. Martin’s strength is in his ability to weave overtones of real-world history into his work, often citing the War of the Roses as a huge inspiration for the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and all the in-fighting that takes place within it. If fantasy is still relevant in today’s landscape, we have George R.R. Martin to thank for it.

4. The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss

Poetic, inspirational, and intimate. The Kingkiller Chronicle is the tale of a burgeoning hero trying to make his way in a cruel and uncaring world. With nothing to help him but his own wits, Kvothe has to find a footing in society af?ter his fate goes awry and his life gets upended on its head. We sit in a cozy inn in the middle of a town that is in the middle of nowhere, listening to the tale of a man who has fought with angels, befriended demons, and written songs that make minstrels weep. Now that man is merely a shadow of his former self??, broken and forgotten after dooming the world in his folly. Need you a more compelling premise?

The Kingkiller Chronicle is one of the best works of fantasy literature in the past two decades. Patrick Rothfuss�amazing storytelling chops, combined with his flowery and poetic prose, turn The Name of the Wind, the first book in the trilogy, and The Wise Man’s Fear, its sequel, into a majestic journey reminiscent of some of the greatest works of drama. The Tempest, Don Quixote, Cyrano de Bergerac; Patrick Rothfuss' The Kingkiller Chronicle has it all.

3. The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

Having written dozens of books in less than two decades, Brandon Sanderson is probably the most prolific writer currently alive. Sanderson has gained acclaim for his amazing stories and outrageously brilliant ideas, not to mention for coming up with rich and detailed fictional worlds you could lose yourself in. And though he has a list of great novels to his name, it’s the planned 10-book saga titled The Stormlight Archive that will b??ecome his crowning achievement in the future.

The Stormlight Archive is intricate, mysterious, and probably unlike anything you’ve read to this day. If you’re looking for an epic fantasy series with large-scale battles and conflicts, a host of chill-inducing character moments, and detailed, unique worldbuilding, then The Stormlight Archive is the book series to pick up. Just start on The Way of Kings and read a few chapters; before you know it, you’ll have reached the fourth and most recent release, The Rhythm of War. At least that’s how I remember the fevered days of binge-re??a??ding this series.

2. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

As I mentioned ear?lier, the entire genre traces its roots back to Tolkien, and it’s not without reason that the British linguist has often been referred to as the “father of High Fantasy.�I once heard another novelist describe Middle-earth’s legacy as “Mount Tolkien,�under whose long shadow reside most of the other prominent authors out there. But even Tolkien’s unavoidable reputation aside, Middle-earth (or Arda, the planet on which Middle-earth is found) remains o?ne of the greatest feats of imaginative worldbuilding ever attempted.

The 10,000-year history of Middle-earth, the sheer breadth of its rich chronicle, and all the wonderful characters that have spun their heroics and tragedies within it, still hold their own against the rivals of this day and age. And frankly, even if its beats have been ripped off so many times that the story is now all too familiar even to those who know nothing about it, The Lord of the Rings remains a grea??t tale of love, friendship, courage, honor, and ??camaraderie, unbowed by the weight of the multitudes of ideas and philosophies it tries to get across.

1. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

Eulogizing Tolkien in the manner I did above, one would be forgiven for thinking that he should’ve made it to the top of this lis??t. In fact, he probably would’ve been here, if not for an ambitious American author who, through the sweat and tears of his scholarly toil, ended up writing one of the greatest works of High Fantasy —nay, of fictio??n�in the world.

Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time is a 14-volume behemoth of a book series that took two decades, more than ten-thousand pages of prose, and two authors to tell in its?? entirety. That’s right; Jordan himself succumbed to illness before finishing the last novel, and the task befell Brandon Sanderson �then an up-and-comer of the genre �to finish what his literary hero had started many years ago.

The Wheel of Time is not just one of the most popular fantasy book series of all time; it is also the perfect bridge connecting J.R.R. Tolkien’s traditionalist tropes to Martin and Abercrombie’s new, grittier take. The Wheel of Time has a host of amazing characters, led by its timeless protagonist Rand al’Thor �who could very well be, as I’ve argued countless times, one of the best-written characters in the English canon. And while at first The Wheel of Time may come off as another spin on the “good vs. evil�??tale that’s as old as time itself, Jordan will soon disabuse you of that mistaken notion, and show how he has intended his work to be a reflection of all of humanity and its sto?ry, time without end.

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A second Lord of the Rings project has also been canceled

Daedalic Entertainment is closing its Hamburg, Germany studio and shifting focus, following the reception to The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. The publisher will n??ow fully focus its efforts on it??s publishing business.

First reported by Games Wirtschaft, Daedalic confirms to Polygon as well that it's shifting focus. Daedalic is closing its internal Hamburg studio, which developed Gollum, and canceled a second project based on The Lord of the Rings IP.

Games Wirtschaft's report indicates 25 employees will be affected. In a statement to Polygon, Daedalic says it will support those former employees in "finding new opportunities" within its network. Additionally, Daedalic says it will continue to work on a patch for Gollum, which was released in May. The publisher confirms that the stealth-action game "did not live up to the expectations" it had for Gollum.

My precious

There's no hiding that The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was a massive flop. It sits at a rare 37 on OpenCritic, with only 4% of critics recommending it. As Will Cruz writes for our sister site, The Escapist: "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is quite possibly the worst game I've played ??in 2023 so far."

Having played a demo of it a while back and walking away baffled, I'm not terribly surprised. Regardless of Gollum's quality, though, seeing developers fall on hard times is never a good thing. Hopefully, those affected can find a new path forward in th??e industry.

As for Lord of the Rings video games, well, this seems to have salted the earth on Gollum. It feels like it's been a bit since we saw the last great LOTR game. Return to Moria is currently set for a fall 20?23 release date, so maybe that can rattle the dust off the series a bit.

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Fourth Age spelunking

Last year we got word that The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria was in the works, and will deal with events taking place in the Fourth Age of the Lord of the Rings timeline (beyond the events of the core books)??. That's a pretty big deal, as that era of the franchise is rarely touched upon, even by Tolkien himself.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXvqhpGj6Gs

Well, we got another look at it today thanks to Summer Game Fest 2023, where it got a quick trailer segment. Even after that bit of footage, I still don't really have any idea of whether or not this will be good. Hey, even if it's not up to snuff, it'll be really hard to top Gollum was the "worst Lord of the Rings game" this y??ear. That's something to look forward to!

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria currently has a fall 2023 release window.

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Bill the Pony can be a commander

In case you haven't heard, there's going to be a Lord of the Rings Magic: The Gathering set out this summer. While the art shown off so far has been marvelous, it turns out that the team over at Wizards of the Coast has a lot more going for it than cool art. We spoke to Ovidio Cartagena, lead art director on the set, about what to expect. Spoiler alert: Wizards is going big on this set.

What's the deal with the Lord of the Rings set? A recap

Beyond the obvious reason of "money," Cartagena likens the Lord of the Rings set as a natural fit for Magic: The Gathering because of its commitment to "Universes Beyond," which have crossed over with franchises like Transformers, Warhammer 40K, as well as Secret Lair drops like The Walking Dead, Fortnite, and Street Fighter.

Liz Stewart, Senior Communications Manager at Wizards of the Coast, says that the team went "all-in" on the flavor of the set, which was the result of long hours of textual research from Tolkien's work. That research shows, as locations like The Shire, Minas Tirith, and the Paths of the Dead are going to be on full display, and all of the lands will include paths the characters from the series had to traverse throughout the world: you can even see them as specks sometimes in zoomed-out shots! Alongside those aforementioned perilous lands, the set also isn't afraid to get silly. Bill the Pony is in, and can even be a Commander. Sam's? cookware has been added to "multiple cards as an Easter egg," C??artagena teases.

For those of you who are unaware, The Lord of the Rings legalese can get complicated. For this project, the team worked specifically with Middle-earth Enterprises (MEE), a steward of much of the "core" material that comprises the most popular bits of Tolkien's work: including The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and the cleverly-stretched appendices (which are found at the end of Return of the King, and ??add some extra lore bits into the mix). I asked about their experience working with MEE, and Cartagena noted:

"We worked primarily w?ith Middle-earth Enterprises. It was pretty easy. Working within the confines of the book was a good fit, because that's how most of us got to To?lkien's lore. Yes we wanted to reference other parts...but the Lord of the Rings is such a rich set that we didn't run out of things to talk about for sure."

When asked how the team handled some of the source material, speci??fically the Eye of Sauron, they th??ought out-of-the-box at first before delving too deeply into some of the more commonly accepted interpretations:

"How are you going to do an eye [of Sauron]? Well, [we're] not going to do the eye, yet. Sauron was designed as this dark wizard, I love the design...the armor has the Palantir on the chest so he always has access to it. For Frodo, we wanted a more heroic shot of him. Several years pass between when he inherits the property of the ring, and when he embarks upon h?is journey."

Yes, Nine Nazgul can be played together on the battlefield, and there's a Witch King card. The main event is the 18 borderless "seam cards," which depict the Battle of the Pellinor Fields without borders. Wizards of the Coast calls it a "war painting,??"? and just one artist (Tyler Jacobson) worked on it. Cartagena shares some insight into the ordeal: "It was an epic undertaking. It took a while to get it right. 18th and 19th-century paintings were looked at for reference. It took eight months, and Minas Tirith is on one side, with Barad-dur on the other. It's meant to be read from right to left to flow like the scene itself in the books."

Sagas (multi-step cards that play out kind of like adventures) return, which is a natural fit for this set. Planeswalkers are out (fine by me!) and Oathbreaker is in, according to Mike Turian, product architect for ?this set:

"All of the cards in The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth products are legal ??in Oathbreaker. The set doesn’t have any Planeswalkers in it, as early on we agreed that Planeswalkers didn’t fit into the setting of Middle-earth. Beyond that, we try to make fun Magic cards that support all of our formats."

[caption id="attachment_382720" align="alignnone" width="640"] Im??age via Wizards of the Coast - art by Kieran Y?anner[/caption]

The Lord of the Rings Magic set will have four pre-constructed Commander decks

Announced as part of the press event, Magic will ??be getting four new Commander decks in the set:

• Eowyn: Riders of Rohan
• Frodo: Food and Fellowship
• Galadriel: Elven Council
• Sauron: The Hosts of Mordor

All four Commander decks inc??lude a collector booster, sample pack, and two legendary traditional foils.

So when is the Magic: The Gathering Lord of the Rings set coming out?

In addition to the set itself and the aforementioned commander decks, there will also be jumpstart boosters, as well as a starter kit (two preconstructed 60-card decks). Yes, there will be a Secret Lair drop too (call the Professor!) based on 1978 Bakshi film, which will be on sale in June. Summer, Autumn, and Winter Ents are in as digital Magic: Arena pets, as well as a pet "One Ring" if you pre-order the set on Arena. The ring will melt if you lose a game, which is neat, but still very interesting in the context of Tolkien not wanting certain elements of his work to?? be romanticized.

Here's a full breakdown of when the Magic Lord of the Rings sets are out:

• Pre-release is June 16-22
• Arena (digital) launch is June 20
• Full launch is June 23

Here's a gigantic preview of Magic: The Gathering Lord of the Rings cards and playmat art!

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The special effects shop is working on a new game set in Middle-earth

A new game set in the Lord of the Rings universe is on the way. Private Division has signed Weta Workshop to a new publishing agreement, for a new ??game set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth.

Weta Workshop is a well-known effects and prop company that worked on Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. The company founded an interactive game division in 2014, and now is tackling The Lord of the Rings in game form.

"It's a privilege to create a new game set in Middle-earth, especially one that's so different from what fans have played previously," said Amie Wolken, head of interactive at Weta Workshop, in a statement. "As fans ourselves, we're excited for gamers to explore Middle-earth in a way they never have before, and introduce new fans to the magic of The Lord of the Rings."

Details on the new project are scarce, as it's still in early development. No release date is set yet. But Private Division says the g?ame is expected to launch sometime during? Take-Two's 2024 fiscal year. More details will arrive sometime in the future.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ7aLU6rHLk

Middle-earth's back on the menu, boys

Private Division is a publishing arm of Take-Two Interactive, and has been behind some notable games like OlliOlli World and The Outer Worlds. The company also acquired OlliOlli developer Roll7. It will also publish Ori developer Moon Studios' next game.

There are a few different Lord of the Rings projects in development. Whether you like to sneak around as a sneaky little Gollum on a quest for his precious, or dig into a survival-type game, there are a few Middle-earth projects to watch. We'll see what Weta brings to the table when it's ready to share more about its own interactive LOTR project.

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The emphasis in his title is fairly undisputed at this point

It's fair to say that The Lord of the Rings (and by extension, The Legendarium, a catch-all term that covers J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth works) is a huge part of my life. I'm writing this now listening to the soundtrack of the Peter Jackson trilogy, after having come back from a four-player session of The Lord of the Rings LCG co-op card game. Oh, and I went to a Tolkien-related academic conference this past weekend: Mythmoot 2022.

It was there that I caught up with Dr. Corey Olsen, The Tolkien Professor (more on that peculiar emphasis in a moment) to talk about his involvement with the Return to Moria game, as well as some thoughts on the upcoming Gollum project.

For hardcore Tolkien fans, Dr. Olsen needs no introduction. But I'm going to do one anyway! Dr. Olsen has a PhD in medieval literature, and has risen the ranks as one of the most preeminent modern Tolkien scholars worldwide. This came to a head in 2012, when he founded Signum University, an online graduate school focusing on literature and philology. He also has done consultation work for myriad Tolkien-related projects (including video games), and hosts a comprehensive podcast that not only covers Tolkien, but academia in general. So about that name. At multiple academic conferences I've attended online and in-person, the anecdote of disputing Olsen's title of The Tolkien Professor is commonplace. But the story always ends the same: they check Dr. Olsen's credentials, and submit that the moniker is legit. We even got another one of those tales from esteemed professor Michael Drout at this year's Mythmoot; jokingly pointing out that he called his spouse into the room to listen to a rant, incredulous that anyone would call themselves The Tolkien Professor.

As you can imagine, sitting down to talk to Dr. Olsen is a treat, and even after an extensive interview session, I felt like I could have talked to him for hours. One of the first things I brought up: his involvement in the Return to Moria game?, coming out in 2023 on PC. As Dr. Olsen puts it: "It was a fairly serendipitous connection. The game director listens to my podcast, so he emailed me one day with a random question related to the game. I got to talking with him, and I had done some game consulting before, so I was expressing enthusiasm...saying I had done this stuff before and it was really fun, and he was like 'wait, really?' So he invited me in, and although I didn't start at the beginning of the project, basically my role has been to...they produce the story and we discuss it."

Dr. Olsen continued on, explaining how the project excited him because much of it covered "all of the dwarf stuff that Tolkien didn't write." Then Dr. Olsen dropped a bombshell: "As far as I know, this is the first adaptation that takes place during the Fourth Age." What?! Ever since I talked with the LOTRO team I'm on the lookout for the phrase "Middle-earth Enterprises." I'll spare you the leg?al rabbit hole of complexity this journey took me on, but suffice to say this essentially boils down to the rights to use content from the core book series. A lot of past stories, partic??ularly ones from the First or Second Ages of the Legendarium (the core book series takes place in The Third Age), would need approval from the Tolkien Estate. Generally speaking, The Fourth Age is untouched, outside of some elements of textual ruins from Tolkien himself.

So I asked, "How is Return to Moria covering The Fourth Age?" But it dawned on me as soon as Dr. Olsen started explaining it. The secret sauce to unlocking the full potential of practically every Tolkien-related project: the appendices. For the uninitiated, the appendices are a portion of Return of the King that fill in a ton of detail on other happenings in Middle-earth. Some of it deals with what's happening concurrently in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. A l??ot of it deals with past events. But in any ??case, it can help creators legally fill in the gaps or provide lots of info and content to glom onto.

Dr. Olsen gets specific in terms of what Moria is able to touch on: "So the fragments that were there, we know what Gimli was up to. Gimli goes on to become the lord of the Glittering Caves...and we know that the dwarves of Erebor helped repair the gates of Minith Tirith with mithril and steel. So that's a little bit to work with. The appendices do tell us some things. And honestly for this kind of a story, it helps to provide the frame in that way. It is implied...when Gandalf reads the Book of Mazarbul [editor's note: this was the book Gandalf flips through in the Fellowship of the Ring film in Moria], he says 'it was valiant but foolish, the time had not yet come [to retake Mo??ria].' Well that's a fun hook [laughs]. So by that token, the time will ??come!"

Dr. Olsen r?elishes? the opportunity to tell these types of open-ended stories:

"It's fun to dramatize the stories that Tolkien depicted. But it's even more fun to develop the stories that Tolkien hinted at but never wrote. The Amazon Prime series is leaning into this...The War of the Rohirrim [editor's note: did you know there was a Lord of the Rings anime film coming in 2024? Wild roads ahead], for that we get an outline of the story of Helm Hammerhand in the appendices. For me, one of the most interesting stories...and we only get fragments of this, is Fram slaying Scatha the worm...and that's of course where Mer???ry's horn comes from, that he's gifted."

It reminded me of how sometimes, creators and fandom can take an individual kernel of a story, like the Jabberwocky in Alice in Wonderland, and form an entire mythos around that. Dr. Olsen and I went back and forth a bit about the general nature ?of visual mediums, and how they can be especially difficult to do "correctly" with the weight of Middle-earth behind it.? Sometimes, things are so detailed that they have a clear framework in mind, and in other instances, they're barely explained. Dr. Olsen subsequently dug into this topic:

"Its really hard, I mean Tolkien talked about that. He was thinking primarily of stage plays, before high?? effects movies were even possible. But he talked about, how you read a story, how you have your own mental picture. Not just how Frodo looked like, but imagine the description of what they ate at the Prancing Pony...you know the cheese, the butter, the bread. What did that look like? How much bread and ?butter are we talking about? It's very likely different for everyone...how it pops in your head. But the people doing the adaptation have to get a loaf of bread...and now that is the bread in the scene. So I do think adaptations like the card game, like the tabletop role-playing game, it leaves the reader's imagination much more free, unlike when you're watching something, or playing a video game."

That said, there is another s?ide of that coin, Dr. Olsen ?posits:

"A lot of people have a very simplified idea of what it means to link an adaptation to the text. By simplified I mean...if you're saying something that Tolkien didn't say, or telling a story that Tolkien didn't tell, it's not an adaptation...well it is. It's possible to tell a story not related at all to Tolkien...but that's not what people do. In terms of my experience, so with Return to Moria, what does Moria look like 50 years after the Balrog was defeated. So when you're inventing stories to tell those gaps, it's how those stories are related to the text...what Tolkien themes you're working with, and in some cases how you're paralleling the story in some way. So there are ways I know that the Amazon Prime team has been working with in their show, and ways that the Moria team is doing that...that is still a really?? interesting?? form of adaptation. It's a really fun exercise."

I know exactly what he's talking about. A lot of adaptations, while telling their own stories, do stay true to the spirit of Tolkien. Some (Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War come to mind) do not, but give their own spin on the universe in turn. As far as the Gollum game goes, Dr. Olsen?? expressed confidence in that team's direction as well:

"Here's the thing that fascinated me most about what I saw about the Gollum game. You're literally playing a murderer...he killed and ate babies...[Sam was right! I interject]...it's the first ever, to my knowledge, least-combat-in??tensive Tolkien video game I've ever seen. Despite the fact that you're again, playing a murderer, there's less violence. This is not an RPG where you start off as a low-level character and get weapons or powers.. So he's tough, he's resilient, he's agile.. But my question to the developers was 'do your skills change much?' And they said 'ac?tually no.'

So there are ways in which you can change, but you're Gollum, and his skill set is known. There is some combat, but if a patrol of orcs discovers you, yo??u're just hosed, because they're bigger and stronger an?d you're not. You can use stealth, but you can't just go out and take them. I haven't played the entire thing, but what I saw of the concept was really fascinating."

It was here in our conversation that Dr. Olsen ultimately wished for a world where we can "go beyond action games." He clarifies that he doesn't mean "there shouldn't be any action" in a Tolkien-related game. Sometimes, he loves playing LOTRO and taking out an orc camp of 30 orcs. But the reason he's looking forward to Gollum quite a bit is to see how they can pull that fantasy off, and potentially eliminate the glorification of combat and war that many other Tolkien projects depict (including the mind-bogglingly R-rated uncut third Hobbit film). To that end, I asked Dr. Olsen if he's spotted anything egregious when it comes to how past adaptations have ??handled some Tolkien works (I threw anthropomorphic Shelob out there, as well as Celebrimbor manifesting in the form of a giant anime explosion), and he had a lot to say:

"Well [long pause]...so dating back to the Peter Jackson films, which of course set the tone for so much afterwards. There are some ways in which the Jackson films are delightfully true to the works in many ways. But there are a few in which they're very very far. Not even plots and characters, but deeper thematically. The single biggest thing I always ?point to is the de-mythification of the story. It's not that I don't understand it. I'm not even arguing against it, I see how it worked in the film. In Tolkien's world, ou?r point of view is the hobbits. They're our frame of reference for the entire story. You know how the story always goes out of its way to provide a frame of reference...we even split up Merry and Pippin, so everywhere, Mordor Gondor...there's a hobbit.

We even see The Ride of the Rohirrim through Merry's eyes. There's very little in which we have no hobbits at all. We don't look at Aragorn, Gimli or Legolas shoulder to shoulder. We picture ourselves with the hobbits being rescued by them. The camera angle as it were, is three feet off the ground. Which means that big people are Capital B big. We look up at Aragorn. We don't relate to him...we're not meant ??to relate to him in the same way. Faramir, an even more dramatic example. They're not perfect...we look up at Boromir [it's here that I interject, and we subsequently agree that book Faramir is perfect]...we're caught up in the adulation of the hobbits. So when I say the de-mythification I mean the stories are myths, and have the weight of that. You can connect with Aragorn, but not like that. The Jackson films changed that reference. The most obvious one is uncertain Aragorn. It works in the film in ways. To me that approach is the most egregious change...foundational change. That you take it from essentially...it's not an epic anymore."

We talked a bit about Shadow of Mordor, a common example of one of the most contentious ways to address Tolkien's work. Dr. Olsen continues his thesis on how adaptations can exercise a degree of freedom, to? a point:

"I wouldn't automatically dismiss a shapeshifting Shelob. In theory. The question is now what do you do with that. What are you getting at. And this is why, and I don't like to make statements about Shadows of Mordor, but from everything I've seen and they've talked about...the premise of, Sauron has done wrong to me and I want to take vengeance on Sauron but getting a ring of ?power to dominate my enemies, as a premise, I literally cannot...In my mind that's like a laboratory construction of the most alien-to-Tolkien-concept I could possibly imagine. To me that's what matters. What are the themes that you're getting at, that's where you really hit bedrock of if it's true to Tolkien or not."

I was able to sit in on several talks at Mythmoot this year that touched on these topics: and all of these new adaptations will have to take on that gargantuan responsibility, too. It feels like there's been an explosion of projects lately, perhaps best typified by the Amazon show. So why are there so many adaptations on the horizon? Dr. Olsen lends his thoughts, spurred by my question of whether or not there's a future where the Tolkien Estate opens the floodgates to First and Second Age stories wholesale: "I do believe that the impetus behind this new wave is basically from the estate. I mean they did open up things already to an extent...we can see that in the Gollum game, the Amazon show, the Rohirrim project. If the storyline of the Moria game succeeds...I hope we can accomplish the ability to ?capture the mythic elements of Tolkien."

Hopefully we see that magic distilled in video game form as soon as this year with Gollum, and in 2023 with Moria. Until then, I have plenty to ponder as a result of Dr. Olsen's interview, and the many tal?ented presentations at Mythmoot 2022.

The post We talked to THE Tolkien Professor ab??out the Gollum and Moria Lord of the Rings games appeared first on Destructoid.

Coming to the Epic Games Store on PC

Did you know there's an Epic Games Store showcase going on right now? Me neither! More Lord of the Rings-licensed games are on the way beyond that vague EA mobile project and the Gollum title; as The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria was just announced today.

The trailer opens up at the Doors of Durin, before showcasing a group of dwarves (players) quite literally heading back into Moria. Social elements (group drinking), survival moments (evading orcs that are still skulking about the halls), crafting, and building seem to be in play. Development is handled by Free Range Games, who has worked as an external developer on several titles, and handled primary development for Spelldrifter.

Here's a quick description that sums up the vibe:

"To survive the treacherous mines of Moria players must conserve resources, hunt and gather for food and manage their sleep, temperature and noise levels. Utilize dynamic light systems for safety and to blaze a pa??th further into the darkness. Battle unspeakable evils and survive hordes of monstrous Orcs in visceral combat, while uncovering the secret o?f the Shadow that looms within the mountain."

Eight-player co-op is on the table, which is likely one of the bigger selling points of Return to Moria for the studio. A spring 2023 window for the Epic Games Store is teased. The copyright is with Middle-earth Enterprises (not the Tolkien Estate), so like other similar pr??ojects, they'll be limited in what they can cover from The Legendarium (as is customary for the vast majority of Tolkien-related media). But given that the core book series pre??tty much gives them free rein on Moria, they should be good there.

[Update: Following the game's reveal, legendary Tolkien scholar Corey Olsen (also known as The Tolkien Professor) confirmed that he has been tapped to consult for Return to Moria. Olsen, a preeminent leader in Tolkien academia, lends a lot of credence to e?verything from the meta-narrative of the game, down to the granularity of items and locations. While the jury is out on gameplay and the technical aspects of the build, I'm a lot more excited knowing that the team asked for help f??rom a pro to help with the lore.]

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=75nbOL7GOPE

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"Year after year growth driven by live services"

Alongside of Nintendo and Capcom, EA also dropped its financial report for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022 �and we can glean a few thi?ngs from th?e EA financials dump beyond the raw numbers.

Most notably, under EA's revenue gains, it cites "year after year growth driven by live services, particularly in mobile, and the strong launch slate in the second half." The three games specifically called out for part of the success are Apex Legends (with 40% booking increases year over year), FIFA (which has "over 150 million accounts," with FIFA 22 serving as "the most successful game in franchise history"), and the Lord of the Rings series as a whole (now you can see why they just announced yet another LOTR tie-in this week). Battlefield 2042 is practically absent from the entire report, as EA continues to sweep it under the rug: even Battlefield V, which came out in 2018, got a direct mention. It Takes Two g??ot an "award sea?son-esque" shoutout, as EA points out that it "won over 90 awards" in the report.

In terms of what they're gearing up for in the 2023 fiscal year, Apex Legends Mobile (which is set to arrive this month) is allegedly out soon, and the beta for The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth will roll out later this year.

They also have "four titles scheduled in Q4:FY23 that have not yet been publicly disclosed," so expec?t at least one of those to be announced during the summer void E3 left. Here is the breakdown of what all of those entail:

• A major IP
• A "partner title"
• A remake
• A sports title

The Dead Space remake already exists, but given that it's still in active development a?nd is openly announced and not named in the EA financials report, it could be something els?e entirely.

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One does not simply tap their way into Mordor

Electronic Arts is working on a new Lord of the Rings game, in mobile form. EA is partnering with Middle-earth Enterprises to develop a free-to-play mobile title called The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth.

The free-to-play mobile RPG will sound a little familiar if you've played these kinds of games before. According to today's announcement, it will have turn-based combat, a collection system of some kind, and characters from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Mobile players will use their party to fight battles in the world of LOTR.

The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth is going into limited regional beta this summer. The announcement notes that Heroes of Middle-earth will require a persistent internet connection, and will?? have in-game purchases, including "random items."

One in-game purchase to rule them all

While Warner Bros. Games has been steering the Lord of the Rings video game ventures lately, Electronic Arts is no stranger to the franchise. The PlayStation 2 era The Two Towers and Return of the King brawlers were published by EA. Electronic Arts also published the RPG, The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, and the Battle for Middle-earth RTS series.

In terms of mobile ventures though, this is something new. Heroes of Middle-earth is in development at Capital Games, the EA branch currently running Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes. While the announcement advertises storytelling, cinematic animations, and high-fidelity graphics, conc?erns about monetization and content structure also seem pretty valid.

A Lord of the Rings mobile game that sounds a bit like Fate/Grand Order or Fire Emblem Heroes might not be everybody's cup of tea. We'll see how The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth shapes?? out when the mobile game ent??ers a limited beta later this year.

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