EA has announced a new Lord of the Rings mobile game

EA has partnered with Middle-earth Enterprises to develop a new mobile game called The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-Earth.

A collectible RPG featuring turn-based combat and a wide roster of characters from across The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, it will see players battle through iconic stories from the books and films.

The free-to-play title is in development at EA’s Capital Games studio and will enter limited beta testing this summer.

“We are thrilled to be working with EA once again, this time to bring a mobile game solely inspired by Middle-earth as described in the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien to its fans,” said Fredrica Drotos, chief brand and licensing officer for Middle-earth Enterprises.

Malachi Boyle, vice president of mobile RPG for EA, commented: “We are incredibly excited to partner with The Saul Zaentz Company and Middle-earth Enterprises on the next generation of mobile role-playing games.

“The team is filled with fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and each day they bring their tremendous passion and talents together to deliver an authentic experience for players. The combination of high-fidelity graphics, cinematic animations, and stylized art immerses players in the fantasy of Middle-earth where they’ll go head-to-head with their favorite characters.”

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EA has previously worked with The Lord of the Rings license, producing several film tie-in games in the early 2000s. Console games in the Tolkien franchise have primarily been developed in recent years by Monolith Productions. Its most recent release, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, launched in 2017.

Variety reported in February that movie and gaming rights to Tolkien works including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were coming up for sale.

The holdings, which also include the rights to merchandising, live events and theme parks, are reportedly expected to raise at least $2 billion.