Why the most anticipated Middle-earth game became the worst-rated release of 2023
In short: Announced with high expectations, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was intended to explore the untold narrative of a legendary character. Instead, it became a cautionary tale of technical instability, poor working conditions, and a commercial failure so profound that it ended the developer's internal production division entirely.
The game followed Gollum through iconic locations like Barad-dûr and Mirkwood, tasking players with stealth-based navigation and dialogue choices that reflected the character's internal conflict between his two personas. Despite the ambition to flesh out Tolkien's lore, the project suffered from repeated delays, moving from a 2021 launch window to its eventual release on 25 May 2023.
Upon release, the game was met with widespread critical derision. Metacritic ranked it the worst game of 2023, citing pervasive bugs, uninspired mission design, and a user interface that many found frustrating. Critics noted that the experience felt profoundly unstable, with some publications unable to even complete the game due to persistent crashes. The reception was so poor that only 4% of critics on OpenCritic recommended the title, and the resulting financial losses forced Daedalic Entertainment to cancel a planned second Lord of the Rings project.
The fallout extended beyond the game's performance. A subsequent report by the German outlet Game Two, based on interviews with 32 former staff members, alleged that the studio had operated under a toxic culture characterized by uncompensated overtime and attempts to pay below minimum wage. The report also suggested that the game's budget of approximately €15 million was insufficient for a project of this scope, leading to cut content and a reliance on automated tools for public apologies. Ultimately, the studio ceased internal development to focus exclusively on publishing.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/culture-the-lord-of-the-rings-gollum.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Languages · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics
