Electronic Arts announced that it has partnered with Middle-earth Enterprises to develop a free mobile game based on the Lord of the Rings IP.
The game is called The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-Earth. is a collectible role-playing game that brings the fantasy of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings to mobile devices, full of "strategic and social competitive experiences". According to EA, The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth is the latest addition to its expanding mobile product matrix, which will be developed by EA's Capital Games, the studio behind Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes.
"We are very excited to partner with Middle-earth enterprises to develop the next generation of mobile role-playing games," Malachi Boyle, vice president of mobile RPG games at EA, wrote in a press release. "The team is full of Fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and every day, they bring together their immense passion and talent to provide players with an authentic experience. The combination of high-fidelity graphics, cinematic animation and stylized art immerses players in the fantasy of Middle-earth, where they will engage head-to-head with their favorite characters."
According to EA, The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth will feature "immersive storytelling, turn-based combat, an in-depth collection system, and characters from the vast universes of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit." The company says players will fight through iconic stories from Tolkien's world, and will also fight the forces of evil in Middle-earth.
"EA has a great relationship with the Lord of the Rings universe, having collaborated on PC and console games based on Lord of the Rings books and movies," the press release reads, "The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth is being actively developed by a team of senior experts in the mobile RPG genre." It was the first Lord of the Rings mobile game developed by EA, inspired by the storylines, locations, characters and legends in The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit literature."
Electronic Arts said the game is expected to enter a limited area test this summer and will require a constant internet connection to play. The game will also feature in-game purchases, including random items.