Amazon's Lord of the Rings MMO canned because "it just got very complicated" Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Amazon's Lord of the Rings MMO canned because "it just got very complicated" It shall not pass. News by Victoria Kennedy News reporter Published on 8 Sep 2022 12 comments Amazon was set to release a free-to-play MMO based on Tolkien's Lord the Rings works sometime this year. However, in April 2021, the project was cancelled, with reports claiming a dispute with mega-games company Tencent was the catalyst for this decision. Now, speaking to GameSpot, Amazon Games president Christoph Hartmann confirmed this was indeed the case. "We had a deal with a Hong Kong-based company, Leyou; I think it would have been great to work with them. But they later got sold to Tencent and it just got very complicated," Hartmann explained. Watch on YouTube Eurogamer Breaking Newscast: Sony reluctantly raises PS5 price, but knows it can get away with it "The question was, sure, maybe [we] could have worked together with Tencent to do something, but I think we're too big as companies to really turn into partners doing a property together where they own the licence and we develop the game," Hartmann elaborated. In the end, Amazon "decided it's better to not work together there". Hartmann did say the companies "tried to figure something out with both ends", but it ultimately all "dragged on too long" and the project's development came to an end. As for the Lord of the Rings IP, that is now in the hands of Embracer, after the Swedish conglomerate announced its plans to buy Middle-earth Enterprises last month. We also have the upcoming Gollum launch from Daedalic Entertainment and a new Lord of the Rings game on the way from Private Division and Weta Workshop on the horizon. Amazon, on the other hand, currently has its Lord of the Rings spin-off show, The Rings of Power, available to stream through its Prime subscription service. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 7 Nintendo Switch firmware update lets you take screenshots in the Switch Online app The app on your console, not your phone. 7 Latest Articles Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store