New Lord of the Rings Game Delays Xbox Version

Summary

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria has been delayed for Xbox Series X/S, with a new release date set for early 2024.
The delay has disappointed Xbox fans, but the PC and PS5 versions are still scheduled for release on October 24.

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria has officially been delayed, but only on Xbox Series X/S. Excitement has been building for the late October launch of The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, but it seems that Xbox fans will have to wait substantially longer than their fellows on PC and PlayStation 5. The co-op multiplayer crafting and survival game remains on schedule for both PC and PS5.

Announced in June 2022, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria puts players in the role of a dwarf seeking to retake the lost halls of Khazad-dum. Players will form groups of up to eight players and delve deeper and deeper into the mines, crafting tools, gathering ore, and battling orcs and other nefarious beings in the dark. Taking cues from Deep Rock Galactic, as well as Valheim and The Forest, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria has already built a community of excited fans.

Unfortunately, it seems that the team at Free Range Games doesn't have the resources to bring The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria to all three of its announced platforms at the same time. The team confirmed on Twitter Thursday morning that The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria is being delayed on Xbox Series X/S. The game will now launch in early 2024 on the platform, with a more specific release date to be shared later. No explicit reason was provided for the delay.

The October 24 release date for the PC and PS5 versions of The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria remains intact. While further changes are possible, Free Range Games reconfirmed the PC and PS5's release date alongside confirmation of the Xbox Series X/S versions' delay.

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria was originally announced as a PC-only release. Plans for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of the game were only confirmed in June. It seems bringing the game to Xbox is taking longer than expected, hence the delay.

There's little to be taken away from the delay's announcement other than disappointment for Xbox fans. Free Range Games must believe the delay is worth it, however. Xbox's users will have to make due, perhaps with Deep Rock Galactic on Xbox Game Pass.