Lord of the Rings: Gollum developer shuts down, scraps new LOTR game

Daedalic Entertainment has closed the Hamburg-based studio of its internal production. The Lord of the Rings GollumPolygon confirmed that the company had stopped development of the second project, which was based upon the intellectual property of Lord of the Rings. Daedalic’s focus will be on publishing.

Daedalic stated in an interview with Polygon Gollum “did not live up to the expectations we had for the game,” but added that the publisher will continue to work on another patch for the stealth-adventure game, which it released in May. Daedalic said it plans to work with former employees to place them elsewhere in its “network.”

GamesWirtschaft first reported on the studio’s closure.

The Lord of the Rings GollumInitially, the movie was scheduled to be released in 2021. Daedalic’s original pitch for Gollum’s stand-alone adventure promised a story “from a perspective never seen before, in any storytelling medium, all the while staying true to the legendary books of J.R.R. Tolkien.” GollumIt was delayed several times, and it landed on a critical note. In Polygon’s review of the game, we said it lacks the personality of Tolkien’s character and simply “isn’t much fun” to play.

Daedalic’s other, now-canceled Lord of the Rings game was never formally announced or officially titled, but was billed as an experience that would “transport the player into a lush world full of mythical creatures and magic.” Like Gollum, the game promised to tell “a story from a character’s perspective that has never been told before.” The 3D action-adventure project was codenamed It’s Magic, according to Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Here’s Daedalic’s full statement:

Daedalic Entertainment decided to shut down its Development Department, focusing our efforts solely on publishing. In this fiscal year, eight promising titles will launch.

Although The Lord of the Rings GollumWe are grateful to have had the chance and for the experience.

We are currently working on a new patch for The Lord of the Rings Gollum. The Lord of the Rings Universe will no longer be the subject of a follow-up. As the agency responsible for funding federally, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection was made aware of the situation some time back.

The transition of each member is extremely important to us. In order to help our ex-employees find new employment within our organization, we will provide them with support.

Daedalic Entertainment has a long and rich history. This is a difficult time, but it’s also an exciting new chapter.