“And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the Gollum video game passed out of all knowledge…”
If it carries on like this fans of The Lord of the Rings will seemingly be waiting for the Gollum game for longer than it took the disagreeable little scamp to gain possession of The One Ring.
The game, first announced in 2019 for a 2021 release on all the major formats, might now be pushed into 2023. Just weeks before the planned September 1 release date, developer Daedalic Entertainment says it is pushing the date back a few months.
The company didn’t offer a replacement date, but said it was taking the extra time “in order to deliver the best possible experience” and will announce a new release date in the near future.
In a tweeted statement, Daedalic said: “We are dedicated to meeting our community’s expectations and uncovering the untold story in a way that honours the vision of J.R.R Tolkien.”
While it’s conjecture on our part, that aspect of the statement doesn’t sound as if it’s simply fine tuning the visuals or elements of gameplay. It almost sounds as if there are some story tweaks still to be figured out, which at this late stage could see delays of more than a few months.
When it does arrive, Gollum sounds like it could live up to the acclaim received by the Middle-earth ‘Shadow’ series of games. Gamers will be able to use aspects of Gollum’s duelling personalities in order to progress through the games. It’s a hugely interesting take on the character and we’re very much looking forward to the navigating the stealth combat aspects.
While game release delays have become commonplace since the pandemic began last year, the Cyberpunk 2077 effect might also be in play. The game was rushed to meet its release deadline and was hugely derided for its underperformance on previous generation consoles.
Developers are acting with more caution and gamers are more accepting of having to wait a little while longer for the biggest games to ensure expectations are met.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.