Amazon reportedly cancels Lord of the Rings MMO
Summary
Amazon has reportedly cancelled its long-gestating Lord of the Rings MMO, according to sources familiar with the project. Amazon's head of games, Jeff Gattis, declined to confirm the cancellation but said the studio is exploring a new game experience set in the franchise with Middle-earth Enterprises. The project had a complex history—announced in 2019 with Leyou, stalled after Leyou's acquisition by Tencent, then relaunched in partnership with Embracer in 2023 with Amazon Games Orange County leading development. Recent layoffs and internal shifts moved many developers between New World and the LOTR project, and sources tie cuts to halted first-party MMO development and reported AI-related initiatives that company leaders say were not the cause of role reductions.