EA has announced the release of a new Lord of the Rings mobile game

EA has collaborated with Middle-earth Enterprises to create The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-Earth, a new mobile game.

Players will battle through iconic stories from the books and films in this collectible RPG, which features turn-based combat and a diverse cast of characters from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

The free-to-play game is currently in development at EA's Capital Games studio and will go into limited beta testing this summer.

"We are happy to be collaborating with EA again, this time to offer Middle-earth as portrayed in J.R.R. Tolkien's literary works to its fans," said Fredrica Drotos, chief brand, and licensing officer for Middle-earth Enterprises.

"We are very excited to join with The Saul Zaentz Company and Middle-earth Enterprises on the next generation of mobile role-playing games," said Malachi Boyle, EA's vice president of mobile RPG.

"The team is made up of fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and each day they bring their incredible enthusiasm and talents together to provide players with a real experience." Players will be immersed in the fantasy of Middle-earth, where they will go head-to-head with their favorite characters, thanks to a combination of high-fidelity graphics, cinematic animations, and stylish art."

In the early 2000s, EA collaborated with The Lord of the Rings license, producing multiple feature tie-in games. Monolith Productions has mostly developed console games in the Tolkien franchise in recent years. Middle-earth: Shadow of War, the most recent installment, was released in 2017.

In February, Variety reported that Tolkien's writings, including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, were up for sale as movie and gaming rights.

The holdings, which include merchandising, live events, and theme parks, are expected to raise at least $2 billion, according to reports.

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