The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Delayed “A Few Months”: Details

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has been delayed again. Developer Daedalic Entertainment shared the news on Twitter, stating that the launch has been pushed back by “a few months”. The highly anticipated action-adventure title was originally slated for a 2021 release, but was delayed to September 2022 after a “stock exchange” with Nacon. This new tweet pushes the launch date even further, allowing for a polished experience when the game launches on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

The statement begins by thanking fans for their patience regarding the release of Lord of the Rings: Gollum. “We are committed to meeting the expectations of our community and uncovering the untold story of Gollum in a way that honors JRR Tolkien’s vision,” it read. The team requested a few additional months of development time to provide “the best possible experience”.

While there’s no word on a solid release window, Daedalic has promised to provide an update in the near future. As disappointing as it may seem to fans, notorious cases such as the disastrous launch of Cyberpunk 2077, which plagues with game-breaking issues, show just how important delays and fixing glitches can be for any game. A more recent example would be the remastered launch of GTA Trilogy, where Rockstar Games was forced to pull the title from sale on PC.

Announced in 2019, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is based on the original books by JRR Tolkien, instead of the movie trilogy. Players will be thrown into ancient Middle-earth, detailing Gollum’s journey after losing the One Ring to Bilbo Baggins. Think of it as a prelude to Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring.

Earlier this month, the studio revealed the first gameplay footage of Gollum, with voice-over narration highlighting his split personality disorder – switching between a shy and slyly evil nature. The mechanics primarily focused on stealth, as you maneuver your hunched body through bushes and scale high surfaces. The action isn’t really the focus here, but it’s well thought out. Players will alternate between the Gollum and Sméagol personalities during the decision-making process, leading to a passive or aggressive playstyle.

A swimming mechanic has also been highlighted, albeit in first person – raising the question of whether you can switch between cameras at will. Fans were pretty critical of the trailer, with many pointing out the outdated graphics and textures – a bad sign as the game was only two months away from launch. Daedalic seems to have taken these issues into consideration, hence the delay for an overall polish.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will be available to play on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC via Steam and Epic Games.

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