The Open-World Lord of the Rings Game Is Spoiled for Choice With Its Plausible TImelines

It already goes without saying that an open-world Lord of the Rings RPG would be the stuff of dreams, especially if it were made with the same focus as other licensed fantasy games like Hogwarts Legacy. Sure, maybe Hogwarts Legacy's open world fell short in its execution, but the game still managed to give players that sense of actually living out the Harry Potter dream of being a student of Hogwarts in the Wizarding World. In the same way, if an open-world Lord of the Rings game were to focus on carrying out a similar vision within Middle-earth, it would satiate a hunger that, for many, has been nearly lifelong. Now, after rumors have consistently been circulating that a game like that could, in fact, be in development, that dream is starting to feel like it could eventually be reality.

However, whether anyone would play a game like that really isn't up for debate. What's perhaps more worthy of conversation at this point is when an open-world Lord of the Rings game would be set, as that would determine the what and the why of the player's journey. Fortunately, the rumored game is spoiled for choice with its plausible timelines, as it wouldn't need to default to the War of the Ring—even though it very well could. Instead, it could look almost anywhere across Middle-earth's long history and still find a setting with enough conflict, mystery, and room for a player-driven story to feel worthwhile.

Middle-earth Has More Than One Obvious Open-World Era

A massive open-world Lord of the Rings game sounds like one of the easiest pitches in gaming, but the harder question is when that game should take place. A Lord of the Rings game set during the War of the Ring would come with certain expectations, while a game set in the Second Age, the fall of Arnor, or the Fourth Age would come with others. Nevertheless, Middle-earth isn't a setting that only works when Frodo is carrying the Ring or Aragorn is reclaiming the throne. Tolkien's timeline is full of eras that could support a full open-world RPG, and that may be the rumored game's greatest advantage. If this project is real, it truly is spoiled for choice.

The Second Age Is the Biggest, Flashiest Option

If the goal is to make the largest possible Lord of the Rings game, the Second Age is probably the most obvious candidate. This era includes Numenor, the rise of Sauron, the forging of the Rings, the corruption of kings, and eventually the Last Alliance. Needless to say, as an open-world RPG, it would work exceptionally well. A Second Age Lord of the Rings game could take players through Numenorean colonies, Elven strongholds, early Mordor, Eregion, and lands that feel more ancient than the version of Middle-earth seen in The Lord of the Rings. It could also give Sauron a more active role, allowing him to operate through manipulation and political influence before he becomes the Dark Lord most players know.

The unfortunate risk is that the Second Age is also loaded with expectations now. Amazon's The Rings of Power has already put that era in front of a broad audience, and any game set there would invite immediate comparisons. It would also have to deal with some of Tolkien’s largest events, which could make player agency difficult. A game can let players participate in the Second Age, but it cannot easily let them define it without creating problems.

The Angmar Conflict Might Be the Strongest Fit

The Angmar conflict may actually be the best timeline for an original open-world Lord of the Rings RPG because it sits in a pretty rare sweet spot. It has a famous villain in the Witch-king, a major war in the north, broken kingdoms, ruined strongholds, scattered peoples, and a sense of decline that fits Middle-earth incredibly well. At the same time, it's not as overexposed as the War of the Ring or as massive as the Second Age, which gives developers more room to breathe.

If the goal is to make the largest possible Lord of the Rings game, the Second Age is probably the most obvious candidate.

A Lord of the Rings game set during the fall of Arnor could send players across Arthedain, Cardolan, Rhudaur, Bree-land, the Weather Hills, the Barrow-downs, and the edges of Angmar itself. Those locations already sound like an open-world map waiting to happen, and it makes perfect sense, considering the MMO The Lord of the Rings Online features many of these locations as well.

The Witch-king also solves one of the biggest problems a game like this would face. It gives the story a villain players already understand as important, while keeping Sauron distant enough that the game does not have to revolve around him directly. This era also has enough gaps for an original protagonist to matter. Players wouldn't need to replace Aragorn, Frodo, Gandalf, or anyone else from the main story. Instead, they could be a Ranger, a survivor from one of Arnor's fractured kingdoms, a messenger between divided peoples, or someone caught in the slow collapse of the north.

The War of the Ring Is Tempting, But Risky

The War of the Ring would still be tempting, which is perfectly understandable. A game set during that period could feature Gondor under pressure, Rohan preparing for war, Mordor's armies moving across the land, and the bulk of the world reacting to Sauron's final push. It would also give players the most recognizable version of Middle-earth.

The issue is that the main story is already spoken for. Frodo has to carry the Ring, Aragorn has to return as king, Minas Tirith has to survive, Sauron has to fall because of the Ring's destruction, not because a custom hero clears enough enemy camps across Mordor. The more directly the game approaches those events, the more restricted it becomes.

The Angmar conflict may actually be the best timeline for an original open-world Lord of the Rings RPG because it sits in a pretty rare sweet spot.

However, there ways around that. A War of the Ring game could focus on northern Mirkwood, Dale, Erebor, southern Gondor, Harad, Rhun, or the Rangers' efforts far from the Fellowship. That would allow the game to exist alongside the main story while still benefiting from the urgency of its core conflict. Even then, the War of the Ring is powerful because of its focus, and an open-world game would have to be careful not to make the conflict feel scattered or as though it's less than the source of tension in Middle-earth.

The Fourth Age Could Give the Game Its Cleanest Freedom

The Fourth Age is probably the boldest option because it would move beyond the story most players already know. Sauron is gone, the Ring has been destroyed, and the great war has ended. Sure, that might sound less exciting, but it could actually be the best setup for a new open-world story.

A Fourth Age Lord of the Rings game could explore what happens after the big victory. This would also give developers room to create new characters and new conflicts without constantly dodging the Fellowship's story or something else more casual fans might be familiar with. It would naturally feel different from most of the franchise's games, but that might be exactly what an open-world Lord of the Rings RPG needs. At the same time, the danger is that it could feel too far removed from the franchise's most familiar narrative beats—it's just the risk that comes with the most creative freedom.

The Best Timeline May Be the One That Leaves the Most Room

Whatever timeline this rumored open-world Lord of the Rings game chooses, it will need to be more than a map covered in recognizable names. Middle-earth has plenty of places worth visiting, but the era surrounding those places is what would give the journey its purpose. A game set during the War of the Ring would come with immediate recognition, while the Second Age would bring a much larger sense of history and myth. The Fourth Age, on the other hand, would give developers the freedom to imagine what Middle-earth looks like after Sauron's defeat. Each option has a clear appeal, but each one would create a very different kind of RPG.

But that's arguably why the Angmar conflict feels like the strongest middle ground. It has a major villain in the Witch-king, a region full of ruined kingdoms and old wounds, and enough distance from the Fellowship's story to let a new hero rise to the occasion. An open-world Lord of the Rings game doesn't have to chase the most famous chapter of Middle-earth in order to justify itself. If anything, its best move may be choosing a timeline where players can recognize the world, understand the stakes, and still feel like there is room for their own original Lord of the Rings story to unfold.