“Why didn’t the Eagle take the One Ring and drop it on Mount Doom?” Well, as a developer working on the “Lord of the Rings” game, let me tell you exactly why: because it gives us a chance to explore and immerse ourselves in the game. a rich and complex universe!
In creating The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, our motto was to celebrate the way JRR Tolkien looked at the richness of the world he created, using his vision as a guide for how our intuitive interpretation of his world.
Tolkien always wanted other artists to bring his works to life and continue creating his great English legend. Of course, back then he wasn’t thinking about video games. But his passion for meticulous detail, the history, the language and the names he used to inhabit Middle-earth has always inspired our industry. Whether we realize it or not, all game creators owe a lot to Tolkien’s writings.
Following Gollum’s journey, we have the opportunity to explore places in the world that we have never seen in such detail before. We started with everything we could find in the lore. We then fill in the gaps with our own ideas and knowledge about the cultures and peoples living in these places.
For example, for the mighty fortress of Barad-dûr, we wanted to emphasize its enormous scale and stark contrast to our little hero. We imagine that the fortress is constantly expanding and changing. The builders could not keep up with the speed and size of their ever-growing walls and towers. Everything around the perfectly shaped main tower became more and more chaotic.
An example is this service bridge that spans the tower’s huge moat, and the builders probably wanted to straighten:
While Mordor is an iconic and recognizable site with its dark volcanic rocks and red glow, the design of Thranduil’s palace in Mirkwood was more difficult.
The contrast is intentional. While Mordor is pointed, Thranduil’s hall is round. While Barad-dûr strives to dominate and transform its environment, the Elves’ constructions preserve and respect the shape of the mountain. It is a harmonious intersection between architecture and nature. Welcoming instead of threatening. A place that repels Gollum but attracts Sméagol. Water, his native element, is everywhere and comes alive in various forms.
King Thranduil’s Room is another fascinating place to get creative. The king enjoyed riding at night and hunting under the stars. His rooms are decorated to resemble a dreamy night forest, more symbolic than functional. The king’s bed was like a ceremonial boat on the river, where he would board the boat only occasionally to have dreams and visions.
Working on this game is both a great honor and a great responsibility. We feel so excited and thrilled to embark on this adventure together. How will it all turn out? Will it feel right in the end? And we feel the same excitement and anxiety as we are about to share it with all of you.
We hope that our endless passion for the world of Middle-earth shines through in all these little details, and hope that you will feel the same as you begin your journey.
See you soon, in the Middle-earth world!
