The gaming industry just lost what could have been a fascinating addition to the Lord of the Rings universe. According to reliable gaming insider Tom Henderson, Eidos Montreal cancelled a Lord of the Rings card game that featured Telltale-style narrative elements during its early development stages. The cancellation appears linked to widespread layoffs that have plagued the studio throughout 2024 and into 2025.
What We Know About the Cancelled Game
Henderson disclosed details about the project during a recent discussion, explaining that the game combined card-based gameplay with narrative choices reminiscent of Telltale’s acclaimed adventure games. The hybrid approach could have offered fans a fresh take on Middle-earth, blending strategic card mechanics with branching storylines that respond to player decisions. Unfortunately, the project never made it past early development before being shelved.
The cancellation happened amid broader troubles at Eidos Montreal, which has experienced multiple rounds of layoffs and project cancellations. The studio let go of approximately 75 employees in March 2025, following earlier layoffs of 97 workers in early 2024. During that first wave, an unannounced Deus Ex game also got the axe, continuing a troubling pattern for the once-celebrated studio.
Eidos Montreal’s Troubling Trajectory
The Lord of the Rings card game represents just one casualty in what appears to be a massive restructuring at Eidos Montreal. Information gleaned from recently laid-off employees’ resumes reveals a staggering number of cancelled internal projects. According to discussions on the project numbering system, the studio initiated Project 11 in 2019 and had reached Project 22 by 2024, suggesting approximately 10 game cancellations over a six-year period.
Other scrapped projects include a dark fantasy action RPG that would have revived a beloved vampire franchise, a sci-fi stealth game widely speculated to be a Deus Ex title, and a modern point-and-click adventure with turn-based combat. The studio has reportedly shifted its focus from developing original titles to co-development and outsourcing work on projects like Grounded 2 and the Fable reboot.
The Embracer Effect
Eidos Montreal’s struggles stem directly from parent company Embracer Group’s financial turmoil. The publisher fell into crisis in 2023 when a $2 billion financing deal collapsed unexpectedly, leaving the company more than $2 billion in debt. Embracer responded with aggressive cost-cutting measures including studio closures, mass layoffs, and widespread project cancellations across its portfolio.
Between July and December 2023 alone, Embracer cancelled 29 unannounced games and laid off approximately 1,400 employees. The company closed studios like Volition and Free Radical Design while selling off assets including Gearbox Entertainment to Take-Two Interactive for less than half of what Embracer originally paid. By February 2024, the company had reduced its debt from $2 billion to $1.5 billion, though warnings of further layoffs and closures continued.
Middle-earth Games Keep Falling
The cancelled Eidos Montreal project isn’t the only Lord of the Rings game to meet an unfortunate end recently. Amazon Games reportedly cancelled its long-awaited Lord of the Rings MMORPG in October 2025 after massive company layoffs affected approximately 14,000 positions. A former Senior Gameplay Engineer confirmed the Middle-earth project was shelved, adding the bittersweet note that players “would have loved it.”
EA also shut down The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth in May 2024, removing the mobile game from app stores and disabling in-app purchases. These cancellations paint a concerning picture for fans hoping to explore Tolkien’s universe through interactive entertainment, even as Embracer had previously announced plans for five Lord of the Rings games during the 2023-2024 financial year.
What’s Next for Eidos Montreal
The studio’s immediate future appears focused on support work rather than leading development on original titles. Eidos Montreal is currently contributing to Obsidian’s Grounded 2, which launched in early access, and Playground Games’ Fable reboot. This shift from primary developer to support studio represents a dramatic change for a team that previously delivered critically acclaimed titles like Deus Ex: Human Revolution and the modern Tomb Raider trilogy.
Henderson also mentioned that Eidos Montreal briefly worked on Hideo Kojima’s mysterious project OD, with around 20 developers assigned to it. However, that collaboration ended because Kojima Productions required developers to relocate to Japan, an unusual demand that resulted in the partnership’s termination. The studio’s reduced role in the industry raises questions about whether it will ever return to developing flagship titles independently.
FAQs
What was the cancelled Lord of the Rings game from Eidos Montreal?
The cancelled game was a Lord of the Rings card game that incorporated Telltale-style narrative choices and branching storylines. It was in early development when it got cancelled as part of widespread layoffs at the studio.
Why did Eidos Montreal cancel so many games?
The cancellations stem from parent company Embracer Group’s financial crisis, which began when a $2 billion financing deal fell through in 2023. Embracer implemented aggressive cost-cutting measures including project cancellations, studio closures, and mass layoffs to reduce its massive debt.
How many employees has Eidos Montreal laid off recently?
Eidos Montreal laid off approximately 97 employees in early 2024 and another 75 workers in March 2025. Additional layoffs were reported in late 2024, though exact numbers for those rounds haven’t been officially confirmed.
What other projects has Eidos Montreal cancelled?
Besides the Lord of the Rings card game, cancelled projects include an unannounced Deus Ex game, a dark fantasy action RPG featuring a vampire franchise, a sci-fi stealth game, and a modern point-and-click adventure with turn-based combat. Reports suggest around 10 projects were cancelled between 2019 and 2024.
Is Eidos Montreal still making games?
The studio has shifted from developing original titles to co-development and support work. It’s currently contributing to projects like Grounded 2 (led by Obsidian) and the Fable reboot (led by Playground Games), but is not leading development on any known original projects.
What happened to other Lord of the Rings games in development?
Amazon Games cancelled its Lord of the Rings MMORPG in October 2025 following company-wide layoffs. EA also shut down The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth mobile game in May 2024. Multiple Lord of the Rings projects have been cancelled across different studios in recent years.
Will there be any new Lord of the Rings games?
While Embracer Group previously announced plans for five Lord of the Rings games during 2023-2024, the company’s financial troubles have cast doubt on those plans. With multiple cancellations across the industry, the future of Lord of the Rings gaming projects remains uncertain.
Conclusion
The cancellation of Eidos Montreal’s Lord of the Rings card game represents another casualty in the ongoing turmoil affecting both the studio and the broader gaming industry. What could have been an innovative blend of card gameplay and narrative storytelling in Middle-earth now joins a growing graveyard of cancelled projects. For Eidos Montreal, once celebrated for revitalizing major franchises, the shift from leading developer to support studio marks a significant downturn. The studio’s fate remains uncertain as Embracer Group continues navigating its financial crisis, leaving fans wondering if we’ll ever see the creative vision that once defined this talented team.