Lord Of The Rings: King’s Gambit Promises All-Out War

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Elijah Woods’ Frodo grabbing the ring in Lord of the Rings

Published Jun 16, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT

James is a gaming writer from London who has spent thousands of hours exploring titles from every genre. Though he has a particular affinity for multiplayer titles like World of Warcraft, Destiny 2 and League of Legends, he has also put thousands of hours into single-player experiences, from deep RPGs to epic PC strategies. When he's not playing or writing, he can usually be found supporting his beloved Brentford FC.

The Lord of the Rings is the biggest and most reliable fantasy franchise on the planet, and deservedly so, given that it really continues to serve as the foundational text for the entire genre. Tolkien's works need no further complimenting from the likes of us, but any new release that comes along is always bound to immediately generate some interest.

One example of that is the long-rumored open world video game adaptation, which has since been confirmed as under development at Kingdom Come: Deliverance developer Warhorse Studios. With that to come, there is another gaming arrival that's on the way soon, and it should be one that many fans will want to get as soon as it's out.

Ian McKellen's Gandalf smokes a pipe in Lord of the Rings Return of the King

Over on the Restoration Games website, the company shared a press release confirming an upcoming official board game adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, designed to pick up where beloved classic of the genre, The Queen's Gambit, left off. Titled The Lord of the Rings: The King’s Gambit, it's undoubtedly a hugely exciting offering, and the producer shared some insights into what fans can expect.

"Like the original, The Lord of the Rings: The King’s Gambit features a sprawling, epic battle across multiple fields of play. The Riders of Rohan clash against hordes of Orcs on Pelennor Fields. The brave Gondorians fend off the forces of Shadow in Minas Tirith. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas maneuver their way through Haradrim on the Great Port at Pelargir to join the fight. And Frodo and Sam navigate the perilous journey through Mordor to the fires of Mount Doom.

"Game design is led by Rob Daviau, the legendary designer and co-founder of Restoration Games. Packed with detailed figures, thrilling decisions, and countless ways to win, this game delivers the ultimate experience for fans of The Lord of the Rings and board gaming alike."

Board games have really come on leaps and bounds over the last ten years or more, and this latest effort could easily be one of the best of the bunch. The original Queen's Gambit is largely recognized as a great to this day, so if this entry can pick up those reins, then it should be a nailed on success.

The game will go through a round of crowdfunding on Kickstarter at some point, with the specific dates and details yet to be announced by Restoration Games.

It seems like it's always a great time to be a Lord of the Rings fan, and with all of these exciting projects coming down the pipeline, that isn't likely to change any time soon. Let's just hope the developers can deliver what the community is looking for, and we'll all be able to walk into Mordor with a big smile on our faces.

The Lord of the Rings Franchise Poster with Gold Words Resembling a Ring

Movie(s) The Lord of the Rings (1978), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Created by J.R.R. Tolkien

First Film The Lord of the Rings (1978)

Cast Norman Bird, Anthony Daniels, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Sean Bean, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Morfydd Clark, Mike Wood, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Charlie Vickers, Markella Kavenagh, Megan Richards, Sara Zwangobani, Daniel Weyman, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Lenny Henry, Brian Cox, Shaun Dooley, Miranda Otto, Bilal Hasna, Benjamin Wainwright, Luke Pasqualino, Christopher Guard, William Squire, Michael Scholes, John Hurt

TV Show(s) The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Character(s) Frodo Baggins, Gandalf, Legolas, Boromir, Sauron, Gollum, Samwise Gamgee, Pippin Took, Celeborn, Aragorn, Galadriel, Bilbo Baggins, Saruman, Aldor, Wormtongue, Thorin Oakenshield, Balin Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Nori, Dori, Ori, Tauriel, King Thranduil, Smaug, Radagast, Arondir, Nori Brandyfoot, Poppy Proudfellow, Marigold Brandyfoot, Queen Regent Míriel, Sadoc Burrows

The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien's book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.

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