You’ve likely heard of the name Warframe and its developer Digital Extremes, but do you know that it has a parent company called Leyou? It turns out that that same parent company recently launched a publishing arm called Athlon Games. It has also just signed a deal with Middle-earth Enterprises to create a new game set in Middle-earth.
According to PC Gamer, the upcoming title is set to take place “at a time long before the events of The Lord of the Rings”.
If the name Middle-earth Enterprises is raising question marks, it is a division of the Saul Zaentz Company that holds the rights to certain elements of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, like names of characters, places, events and such. Basically, if you want to make anything The Lord of the Rings related, you have to go through this company. Warner Bros went through it to make the two Middle-earth games, and now Athlon Games has signed a long-term deal with it.
Aside from taking place at a time before The Lord of the Rings, there will also be “lands, people, and creatures” never before seen in Middle-earth. Beyond that, details are scant. It would probably be fair to assume that it will be a free-to-play game, considering the reputation of Digital Extremes of Warframe fame.
The report also states that Athlon is “working with a partner” for this game, but didn’t mention who or when it will be announced officially.
(Source: PC Gamer)
