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Rumour: Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics is working on new Lord of the Rings game, not Warhorse

At least, it's Crystal Dynamics that's apparently responsible for the Abu Dhabi-funded Hogwarts Legacy competitor.
Alex Hopley Editor UK 1 April 2026

Last year, we caught wind of a new Lord of the Rings game, which was set to be a massive project funded at least in part by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office. This game already has multiple big names involved, including Embracer, Revenge, and another studio that remained mysterious, until very recently.

After recent speculation pointed to none other than Kingdom Come: Deliverance developer Warhorse being the studio working on the Hogwarts Legacy competitor, Insider Gaming revealed that according to its sources, the studio actually working on the new Lord of the Rings game is Crystal Dynamics. The Tomb Raider developer has apparently been working on this project alongside Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider: Catalyst.

It's believed that Warhorse could still be working on a Lord of the Rings game, just not this exact title, which will allow us the same experience of a fantasy world that Hogwarts Legacy did with the Wizarding World. This rumour is unconfirmed, and likely won't become official news for a while, with sources telling Insider Gaming the Lord of the Rings game is "a bit away."

Embracer also declined to comment on the news, saying they don't comment on rumours and speculation. Crystal Dynamics also declined to comment. As always with these types of rumours, take them with a hefty pinch of salt. But, if Crystal Dynamics is behind a new LOTR RPG, do you think this seems like a good fit?

Editor UK Alex Hopley covered the video game industry for Gamereactor, from new announcements and launches to the business behind them. He also wrote on tech, film and entertainment, and his coverage wasn't tied to any one region.
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