Warhorse Studios works on new Kingdom Come and open-world RPG in Middle-earth
Intelligence Summary
- Warhorse Studios is developing a new Kingdom Come game and an open-world RPG in Middle-earth. Here are the details.
Warhorse Studios works on new Kingdom Come and open-world RPG in Middle-earth
Warhorse Studios, the developer behind the successful Kingdom Come: Deliverance, has announced that it is currently working on both a new game set in Middle-earth and a follow-up to its Kingdom Come series. The announcement came on May 20, 2026, and has sparked plenty of interest among fans of both franchises.
New game in Middle-earth
Warhorse Studios has confirmed that it is developing an open-world RPG set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. However, the studio has not shared any details about the story, characters, or the specific period in Tolkien's timeline where the game will take place. That leaves the door open to a wide range of possibilities, from introducing original characters to exploring parts of the established lore.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and future adventures
In addition to the Middle-earth game, Warhorse is also working on a new experience within the Kingdom Come franchise. The official announcement refers to a "new Kingdom Come adventure," but it remains unclear whether this is a direct sequel to Kingdom Come: Deliverance or a new take on its medieval RPG formula. The studio does, however, seem excited about the storytelling techniques and gameplay elements it wants to bring to the project.
Rumors and controversy
Rumors about Warhorse's involvement in a Middle-earth game have been circulating for some time. The studio did not previously deny the speculation in earlier months. The announcement also comes amid recent controversy over the company's use of AI translators, after a former employee claimed they were fired as a result of the shift toward automated translation. Warhorse has said it does not use AI-generated content in its final product and has no plans to change that in the future.
Timeline
May 20, 2026: Warhorse Studios announces it is working on an open-world RPG in Middle-earth and a new Kingdom Come adventure.
May 1, 2026: Rumors about Warhorse's use of AI translators surface, leading to controversy.
April 17, 2026: The director of Kingdom Come: Deliverance says he pressured his team to include certain narrative elements.
With these announcements, Warhorse Studios appears to be firmly positioning itself for the future, aiming to explore both the classic elements of the Kingdom Come series and new adventures in a beloved fictional universe. Fans of both franchises are looking forward to more detailed information and release updates.
