First LotR Game from WB Announced: Aragorn's Quest

[DoctorFinger]

The first fruits of Warner Games taking the Lord of the Rings license back from EA will be shown off at E3 in a couple weeks. And it's not quite what we had expected.

The first game will be called Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest. What genre will it be in? Why, what else: a kids game! The title is described thusly.

"the first Lord of the Rings videogame created specifically for kids and their families."

Now of all the genres and styles I would have expected for WB Games' initial foray into Middle Earth, "kids game" is not one of them. It does make some sense - WB Games likely thinks a kids game is cheaper and easier to produce than other types - but it's still...odd. Expect more on the game when it's shown at E3.

Source - Shacknews.

[LongStepMantis]

An odd decision indeed.

Children will most likely not have read the books, won't know or understand the story, and probably haven't seen the movies. The movies alone are kind of over a kid's head, and the books incredibly so.

So...yeah.

[Kielaran]

Originally Posted by LongStepMantis

An odd decision indeed.

Children will most likely not have read the books, won't know or understand the story, and probably haven't seen the movies. The movies alone are kind of over a kid's head, and the books incredibly so.

So...yeah.

Yep. It is sad to see this destined to fail.

[DoctorFinger]

In case I wasn't clear. I have no problem with a kid-oriented LotR game. It's just not what I'd lead off a new line with.

[Xerxes]

Wouldn't a LotR game for kids best take place in the Shire.

[LongStepMantis]

I'm not saying I have a problem with it. It's just a weird choice.

Making a kid's game based off a series of mature-themed books and movies. It can be done, but if they want to deliver a story children will relate to and/or understand, it most likely won't be similar to the original stories themselves. Maybe a dumbed-down version that's more rainbows and sunshine...but if so...why use the LotR name? Just because it's popular these days?

On the plus side, if it gets those kids who play it to actually go read the books, great.

[Kielaran]

It just seems to me that the crossing of demographics will be the recipie for failure. That or the advertising for it will trick many people into buying it, thinking it is a mature game and making it one of the most traded in games ever.

[Savok]

Why not just tap The Hobbit for kids stuff? It was written as a kid's book for fuck's sake.