The long-awaited video game THE LORD OF THE RINGS: GOLLUM has a release date!

It seems that fans have been waiting The Lord of the Rings: Gollum video game out forever. This game has been in development for quite some time, but for what the developers are trying to do with the game, it was hopefully worth it.

After some delays, it has been announced that the game will be released on May 25, 2023! This is a story-driven action-adventure game that focuses on Gollum and his journey. It seems that it will be a unique gaming experience for fans of The Lord of the Rings.

The game will “feature a branching narrative and expand on the suggestions provided by JRR Tolkien on the Stoor, formerly known as Sméagol, to create an all-new Lord of the Rings story that aims to fit the books.”

Players will embark on a perilous journey as Gollum, “chasing the one thing that is precious to him. From his days as a slave beneath the Dark Tower to his sojourn with the Elves of Mirkwood, scramble, leap, and weave your way through danger. Clever and crafty, Gollum is also torn apart by his split personality. It’s up to you to decide if Gollum’s darker side takes over or if a spark of reason remains in what once was Sméagol.

CEO of Daedalic Entertainment Cartsen Fichtelmann previously spoke about the game, explaining that “it follows the path of Gollum and what happens before Frodo and his companions find him on his heels in the Mines of Moria… We will tell his story until he shows up. Sometimes they mention some things that happen to Gollum, but no one knows exactly what happened. That’s our job, to explain what exactly happened there.

Game producer Harold Riegler he explains, “Gollum has always fascinated us. While absolutely essential to the story written by JRR Tolkien, Gollum’s long hunt for his precious ring has never been told in detail. Yet his incredible journey from Mordor, through Mirkwood, to the Mines of Moria, takes players to places they have never seen before, setting the stage for events that will ultimately decide the fate of all of Middle-earth.

Speaking of the gameplay experience, Fichtelman explained: “When you play Gollum, you play Sméagol at the same time. You have to make some decisions, maybe some decisions that are more or less Sméagol’s and some that are Gollum’s. You can decide for yourself what you would like to see more. When you decide some things, it may be – this is reflected in the mechanics. The game forces you to convince yourself and find one of these two locations. When it comes to other iconic characters in the universe, Middle-earth, we’re going to see what happens around Gollum.”

It’s also explained that it’s not just about “choosing to be Sméagol or Gollum, because for Gollum as an entity it’s not that easy. Each personality is attacked by the other; everyone has to defend themselves. It is also explained that “the decisions you make affect how the game feels. Either you always play as Sméagol or as Gollum as the “dominant” character and this can affect animations, soundscapes, certain game situations and game dialogues.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will be released on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC. The developer will also be hosting a gameplay showcase at 18:30 CET on Twitch to showcase some of the game.