New Lord of the Rings MMO Coming Soon from Athlon Games

According to a recent press release from Leyou Technolgies Holdings Limited (best known as the parent company of Warframe's publisher), a new project is underway in Middle-earth:

Athlon Games is partnering with Middle-earth Enterprises, to develop and publish a free-to- play massively multiplayer online video game based on The Lord of the Rings , the landmark fantasy literary work of J.R.R. Tolkien. Set in the world of Middle-earthTM during the years leading to the events of The Lord of the Rings, the game will provide Middle-earth fans throughout the world with a new, immersive game experience for epic exploration of the Tolkien universe.

Apparently taking place before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, it will follow the standard free-to-play model, in which the game and most (if not all) of its features can be enjoyed for free but microtransactions can provide additional content and benefits. No release date or additional information has been given at this time, but it may be a welcome addition to the Middle-earth video game collection.

Fans can currently immerse themselves in virtual Middle-earth via Standing Stone Games' The Lord of the Rings Online, which debuted in 2007 and has successfully passed the 10-year mark. The game is free-to-play and can be downloaded at lotro.com.