Lord of the Rings studio WETA is making a game based on a "major worldwide IP"
The IP is apparently "very close to [the studio’s] heart"
The studio responsible for the special effects in Lord of the Rings is currently working on a game based on a "major worldwide IP."
According to a job listing at WETA (thanks GameSpot), the New Zealand-based studio’s gaming division is looking for a producer to work on a "PC and console game project with a major worldwide IP." The currently unannounced project is also described as being "very close to [the studio’s] hearts," which has got many wondering if it is based on a previous WETA production.
It appears that this project may still be in the early stages of development as the job listing also says that the successful applicant will "get in on the ground of this exciting next phase here in the Interactive team at Weta Workshop!" So don’t expect to hear or see much about it for probably some time yet.
You may have seen WETA’s work in all three of the Lord of the Rings films - as well as The Hobbit film series - where it was responsible for bringing Gollum to life as well as creating a lot of the visual aspects of the films. The studio has also worked on the likes of King Kong (2005), Avatar (2009), and more recently Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
Speaking of Lord of the Rings, we do know that there is a game based on this IP in the works, not with WETA but with Daedalic Entertainment. Lord of the Rings: Gollum was originally announced in 2019 and was due to be released in 2021, however has since been delayed until 2022. When Lord of the Rings: Gollum does release, it will be available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Feel like you need to catch up with this year’s releases before 2022? Take a look at our list of the best games 2021 for inspiration on what to play next.
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After studying Film Studies and Creative Writing at university, I was lucky enough to land a job as an intern at Player Two PR where I helped to release a number of indie titles. I then got even luckier when I became a Trainee News Writer at GamesRadar+ before being promoted to a fully-fledged News Writer after a year and a half of training. My expertise lies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, cozy indies, and The Last of Us, but especially in the Kingdom Hearts series. I'm also known to write about the odd Korean drama for the Entertainment team every now and then.