Independent developer Free Range Games and publisher North Beach Games are happy to announce that their highly-anticipated co-op survival crafting title, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, has finished the final stages of development and has officially gone ‘Mithril’ (Gold) for PC ahead of its Oct. 24 launch via the Epic Games Store. The digital PlayStation®5 version of the game has been delayed and will now launch on Dec. 5. 2023 alongside a physical release at retail, with the Xbox Series X|S version planned for early 2024.
Recently, the developers shared a first look at the in-game Dwarf Creator, which allows players to create and customize their own unique Dwarven character for their playthrough in The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. The Dwarf Creator gives players numerous options to customize their Dwarf however they see fit, including distinct choices for beards and hair, accessories and jewellery, facial features, tattoos, scars, body type, and even the Dwarf’s origin, voice, and personality type.
The story of The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria takes players beyond the books and into the Fourth Age of Middle-earth, the fantastical world created by J.R.R. Tolkien. Summoned to the Misty Mountains by Lord Gimli Lockbearer (voiced in-game by actor John Rhys-Davies), players band together as a company of Dwarves tasked to reclaim the lost spoils from the Dwarven homeland of Moria—known as Khazad-dûm or Dwarrowdelf—in the depths below their very feet. Their quest will require fortitude and teamwork, delving deep into the Mines of Moria to recover its treasures and in the hopes of one day restoring them to their former glory.
In The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria players will create their own custom Dwarf before venturing into the cavernous mines of Moria alone or together with a company of fellow Dwarves online. Each adventure into the depths will bring unique challenges and opportunities through the use of procedurally generated environments, creating nearly endless possibilities as players seek the deepest delves of the Dwarves. As they venture ever deeper, the Dwarves will need to ensure their metal is ready to meet the dangers that lie within, crafting resilient armours and finely honed weapons capable of protecting against and defeating all manner of goblin, arachnoid, or more mysterious foes they may encounter. Excavate the mysteries of the Misty Mountains, extract precious metals prized by Dwarves, rebuild and refire forges that have long since gone cold, and learn the secret of the Shadow that lurks within.
Developed by Free Range Games and Published by North Beach Games, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria will launch on Oct. 24 for Windows PC via the Epic Game Store with an MSRP of $39.99 USD / €35.99 EUR, and T for Teen ESRB and PEGI 16 ratings. The title will release on the PlayStation®5 both digitally and at retail on Dec. 5 2023, with the Xbox Series X|S version planned to launch in early 2024. Eager fans can pre-order the game digitally on PC via the Epic Games Store and wishlist on PlayStation®5 via the PlayStation® Store. For more information about The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, visit ReturnToMoria.com, join the community Discord, follow the game on Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube.
