At Gamescom 2023, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria received a release date, at least for the PC (via the Epic Games Store) and PlayStation 5 versions, which will be released digitally on October 24th and have now opened pre-orders. A press release clarified that PlayStation 5 is also getting a retail launch on December 5th, while Xbox Series S|X gamers will have to wait until early 2024 to get the game.
Today, Game Director Jon-Paul Dumont also appeared on the Gamescom 2023 studio stream to share the news that John Rhys Davies is returning as Gimli:
One of the things that's really exciting is that John Rhys Davies is back as Gimli in The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. Gimli is actually the character that brings everyone together and starts the story. Who could be Gimli but John Rhys Davies? You hear his voice and you immediately know, this is him. We've had a great relationship with Middle-earth Entertainment the whole time. They've been really supportive of the idea and they've been really supportive of being the first game set in the Fourth Age. When we brought up that Gimli was so important to the game and the story and suggested we'd love to have had John Rhys Davies, they helped make it happen.
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria was announced in June 2022 with an estimated Spring 2023 release date, which was later moved to Fall. If you're quick, you can still sign up for the imminent PC Closed Beta testing on this page. Just remember to register before the end of the day, as that's when signups will close. Take a look at some new footage posted by IGN and a detailed overview of the game's features.
- Feel the Fellowship: Experience the Fellowship of the Dwarves like never before, with the rich lore of the iconic fantasy world from J.R.R. Tolkien interwoven into the very fabric of The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria.
- Survive the Dark: To survive the treacherous Mines of Moria players must conserve resources, hunt and gather for food and manage their sleep, temperature and noise levels. Utilize dynamic light systems for safety and to blaze a path further into the darkness. Battle unspeakable evils and survive hordes of monstrous Orcs in visceral combat, while uncovering the secret of the Shadow that looms within the mountain.
- Base Building: Find solace from the darkness. Reveal and clear new locations to create architecture on a grand scale. Get creative and construct bases from scratch or build upon the existing environment. Beware the evils which seek to destroy Dwarven progress.
- Rebuild and Reshape Moria: Restore the long-lost ancient kingdom of Khazad-dûm to its former glory, recovering Dwarven landmarks as the story progresses. Resurrect old mines and refire their forges to yield their untouched resources.
- Explore: Delve into the depths of the Mines of Moria. Procedurally generated environments are abundant with resources and fraught with mystery and danger, providing a unique experience each and every time.
- Co-op Multiplayer: Adventure alone or band together with friends in online cooperative multiplayer with up to eight players.
- Craft Dwarven Tools, Weapons and More: Craft and loot legendary Dwarven armor, tools, weapons and structures. Rebuild ancient forges to strengthen, repair and enchant gear. Upgrade and unlock new technologies and fantastical machines.
- -Uncover Magic Artifacts: Discover ancient magic items including swords that glow when Orcs are near, maps of long-dormant Mithril veins, books with forgotten crafting plans and amulets that give strength or wisdom.
- Mine Ore and Jewels: Establish mines to unearth deposits of precious resources such as iron, gold, and quartz; and fantastical materials such as Mithril. Access crafting stations and forges to convert ore to ingots and upgrade gear. But be prepared, mining is loud and can awaken what lurks in the darkness.
- Comprehensive Dwarf Builder: Players become part of Dwarven Legend as they create their own Dwarf in the custom character creator. Dwarves can be customized in a variety of ways to create a unique Dwarven identity. Then, during gameplay, players can find and craft armor and weapons to further enhance their unique style.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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