Amazon Game Studios, a division of Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN), today announced it will collaborate with Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited (HKEX: 1089) and Middle-earth Enterprises to develop and publish a free-to-play massively multiplayer online (MMO) game based on the milestone fantasy literary work The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien. No release date has been set for the game.

Set in the world of Middle-earth portrayed in The Lord of the Rings literary trilogy, the game will give fans around the globe a new, immersive game experience for epic exploration of the vast world of Tolkien. In addition to the game development collaboration, Amazon Studios is separately developing a new Amazon Original TV series based on The Lord of the Rings for Prime Video unrelated to the game.

Amazon Game Studios and Leyou will jointly develop the game for PC and consoles, and Amazon Game Studios will market and publish the title globally with the exception of China, which will be managed by Leyou. The collaboration brings together Amazon’s game technology and talented MMO developers, and Leyou’s expertise in designing free-to-play games and operating live-service games.

“We’re committed to bringing customers games of the highest quality, both with our own original IP as well as beloved cultural pillars like The Lord of the Rings,” said Christoph Hartmann, VP, Amazon Game Studios. “Tolkien’s Middle-earth is one of the richest fictional worlds in history, and it gives our team of experienced MMO developers — from the same studio developing New World — tremendous opportunity to play and create. We have a strong leadership team in place to helm this new project, and we’re actively growing our team to help build this incredible experience.”

“Bringing Middle-earth to life necessitates having the very best partners, and Amazon’s customer obsession, technology, and talented teams make it the ideal choice for a co-developer and publisher,” said Alex Xu, CEO of Leyou Technologies Holdings. “We believe our combined resources and expertise will result in a beautiful and compelling game that customers will love and play for years to come.”

“Who among us hasn’t wanted to take part in an epic adventure,” said Fredrica Drotos, Chief Brand and Licensing Officer at Middle-earth Enterprises. “More than 60 years after the publication of The Fellowship of the Ring, we’re delighted that Amazon Game Studios has partnered with Leyou to bring their respective expertise to build a much anticipated game that will immerse us in the beloved, epic world of Middle-earth, envisioned by Professor Tolkien.”

The Amazon Game Studios leadership team includes veteran developers who helped create of some of the world’s most popular MMO games. Amazon Game Studios is also home to New World, an in-development sandbox MMO game set in an alternate 17th century world.

About Amazon Game Studios

Amazon Game Studios is creating games that aim to be as fun to watch as they are to play. Building within the sandbox of Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon Lumberyard, Twitch, and more, our ambition is to create bold, new gaming experiences that foster community inside and outside of the games we make. For more information, visit www.amazongames.com

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

About Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited

Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited is a fast-growing developer and publisher of interactive entertainment for gamers worldwide. The company is a leader in the free-to-play multiplayer space, developing and operating games through its subsidiaries Digital Extremes (Canada), Splash Damage (UK), King Maker (Beijing) and Radiance (Guangzhou China) and invested associates Certain Affinity (US). Leyou, a publicly traded company on the Hong Kong Exchange (1089.HK), also owns a global publishing division, branded Athlon Games, and headquartered in Los Angeles. Leyou’s primary focus is on high-quality multiplayer online games on PC and consoles, and adopts a “Games as a Service (GaaS)” operating model. The company owns and operates its flagship, award-winning free-to-play game Warframe, and is currently developing other AAA-level free-to-play games based on licensed and owned IP. For more information please visit http://www.leyoutech.com.hk.

About Middle-earth Enterprises

Inspired by a deep appreciation for the fictional world created by J.R.R. Tolkien, Middle-earth Enterprises is dedicated to working with businesses providing quality products in accordance with best green business and sustainability practices, including fair trade, equality in the workplace, and a commitment to protect our earth, its wondrous beauty and the viability of every living creature.

The Saul Zaentz Company dba Middle-earth Enterprises, has been producing and licensing films, merchandise and stage productions based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit for more than 40 years. With headquarters located in Berkeley, California, its website may be found at www.middleearth.com.