After months of waiting and speculation, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum finally gets a confirmed release date. The game is coming in September this year. Fans are hyped up as Daedalic Entertainment continues to tease with very brief details about the action-adventure title.
The Lord of the Rings games hardly ever take a narrative focus but the upcoming edition based on Gollum, the ring-chasing Hobbit, will change that. This game will put players in the shoes of Gollum who suffers from a split-personality disorder.
The story is set well before the events of The Lord of the Rings and players will venture into the mysterious realm situated in the Middle-Earth. Check out everything we know about the game here.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Release Date and Platforms
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was announced by Daedalic Entertainment in March 2019, and was scheduled for release in 2021. However, the global Covid-19 pandemic delayed its release to 2022.
Now, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has finally got a confirmed release date. It’s going to launch on September 1, 2022, on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The developer has also confirmed that it’ll be available on Nintendo Switch at a later date which is currently unknown.
Gollum's quest for his precious will begin on September 1, 2022!
Coming on PC & consoles and at a later date on Nintendo Switch.#GollumGame💍 pic.twitter.com/52IL0kp0oH
— The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (@GollumGame) May 24, 2022
Originally, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was set to release only on the latest-gen consoles. However, the developer announced in August 2020 that it will also be available on the PS4 and Xbox One.
Is The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Available for Pre-Order Yet?
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is not available for pre-order yet, except for one store. It is available to pre-order on GAME for £59.99 in the UK. On Steam, fans can only add the game to their wishlist.
Adding it to the wishlist will make Steam notify you once it is available for pre-order. It should be available for pre-orders soon. Daedalic will likely make an announcement soon which will also confirm the pre-order bonuses for the game.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Story and Characters
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will feature the unexplored backstory of Gollum and Smeagol, who are basically just one individual with a split personality. The official Steam page of the upcoming game states, “In The Lord of the Rings™: Gollum™ you get to experience this story. From his time as a slave below the Dark Tower to his stay with the Elves of Mirkwood.”
The available footage shows Gollum either in Mordor or The Dark Tower. Thus, the major portion of the game will likely take place at these locations. Your decisions will have a huge impact on how the story of this narrative-focused game plays out.
One early preview of the game reveals players deciding what to do with a beetle- Gollum wants to eat it as he believes it to be a Mordor spy while Smeagol wants to leave it. Such decisions can lead to different instances in the overall story.
The available trailers and videos also revealed that other notable characters from the series will make an appearance. Gandalf and Thranduil, the elven king of Mirkwood, and the Woodland Realm are the confirmed names this far.
Is The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Based on a Movie?
No, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is not based on any movie. Instead, it is solely based on JRR Tolkein’s books. Thus, fans should expect a different version of Gollum and not the iconic roleplay we’ve seen from Andy Serkis.
…and so we embark on a journey to uncover those secrets.
Enjoy this early sneak peek of the upcoming in-game location: Mirkwood! pic.twitter.com/6mJZZX2ygk
— The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (@GollumGame) May 27, 2022
Daedalic Entertainment is developing the game, and it will be co-published by Daedalic Entertainment and Nacon.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Gameplay Details
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will be an action-adventure game exploring the story of Gollum. The story and decision-making will be a major part of the gameplay. However, there are other aspects to it as well.
Gollum can’t directly take on Orcs and other foes, so he’ll mainly rely on stealth and puzzle-solving to advance to the later stages of the game. He will potentially have a stamina meter that he can use to take down the enemies. He’ll rely on stealth instead of direct combats.
The environment of the upcoming game will feature a level of interactivity. One footage shows Gollum throwing a rock to break a light that causes an Orc to fall into a pit and then get eaten by Shelob.
The developer has confirmed that there won’t be any system to upgrade your character or unlock skills for Gollum. So, he’ll be ready for everything on his journey from the beginning.
Teasers and Trailers for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
Daedalic Entertainment has shared a number of teasers and trailers for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. However, none of them really showcased a very detailed look at how the game is going to be.
The Sneak Peak trailer shows around 30 seconds of in-game footage, and it’s the most the fans have got so far.
There’s also a cinematic trailer called “Split Personality” that briefly shows how Gollum is very different from Smeagol.
Another video shows a short developer diary on the ideas behind Gollum featuring Harald Riegler, the game producer. A new trailer for the game is reportedly coming soon, possibly in June.
The available footage has left the fans wanting more and more of the upcoming action-adventure title. Are you hyped up to play as Gollum in a world full of mysteries? Let us know in the comments.
This is the first worst! What alternative universe is this Gollum supposed to be from? His look is wrong, voice is wrong… SO wrong. As much as our fam loves LOTR and the Hobbit, we’ll never play this game. We can’t even stand watching these clips. There was probably some potential here, but….if the game comes out as shown in these teasers, we’ll never play it. God awful.