Independent developer Free Range Games and publisher North Beach Games are excited to announce that The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, the only survival crafting video game set in the Fourth Age of Middle-earth™, the iconic fantasy world created by J.R.R. Tolkien, will launch on PC via Steam and Xbox Series X|S on Aug. 27 at a discounted price of $19.99 for a limited time. As part of the game’s launch on the new platforms, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria will usher in The Golden Update, which introduces crossplay between all platforms, Sandbox Mode, and a treasure trove of other content, updates, and improvements that have been implemented since the game’s release on Windows PC via the Epic Games Store (EGS) on Oct. 24, 2023, and for the PlayStation®5 computer entertainment system on Dec. 5, 2023.
Watch the Golden Update trailer
New content and improvements in The Golden Update include:
Sandbox Mode: Previously only available in beta via the EGS version of Return to Moria, the full launch of Sandbox Mode allows players across all platforms to experience independent exploration and experimentation throughout the mountain. This nonlinear mode unleashes the full potential of the procedural generation system, and the game world is generated with a wide variety of random seeds, meaning each playthrough can vary significantly in layout and difficulty. Because of its inherent unpredictability and minimal tutorials, this mode is recommended for players who are familiar with Return to Moria or other survival games.
Crossplay Across All Platforms: Exploring the Mines of Moria with friends just got easier! Any player on PC via Steam or EGS, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 can now host games to be joined by any other player. Just like non-crossplay games, Steam players can host 8-player sessions, regardless of the platform the joining players are on.
New Weapons and Armor: Sandbox Mode brings with it recipes for 14 new weapons and armor including a Wolf Skin Hat, Gondorian Shield, Khazad Halberd, and Barôkamlut. Though only discoverable in Sandbox Mode, players can bring new objects into Campaign Mode as long as their Dwarf is equipped with them when transferring over.
New Building Parts and Decorations: Players can spruce up their bases with over 100 new building objects, including new cosmetic decorations such as light fixtures, rugs, banners, home furnishings, tables, and chairs.
Building Improvements: Restoring Moria is now easier than ever with the changes made to the stability system as well as improved object snapping. The miscellaneous buildings throughout Moria are now stronger than ever, expanding players’ ability to build expansive bases wherever they choose.
Single Player Pause: To improve the solo player experience, offline players can now pause the game by hitting “escape” on PC or by opening the settings menu.
Ambient Music: Due to popular demand, there is now an ambient music soundtrack to accompany the Dwarves’ ventures through Moria.
Difficulty Settings: Players can now fine-tune the difficulty level for various aspects of the game including enemy aggression, combat, horde, siege and patrol frequency, world and mining drops, and survival.
Bug Fixes and Improvements: For more details on the various updates, fixes, multiplayer connectivity improvements, and more introduced to the game, players can visit the official website.
The story of The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria takes players beyond the books and into the Fourth Age of Middle-earth, the fantastical world created by J.R.R. Tolkien. Summoned to the Misty Mountains by Lord Gimli Lockbearer (voiced in-game by actor John Rhys-Davies), players band together as a company of Dwarves tasked to reclaim the lost spoils from the Dwarven homeland of Moria — known as Khazad-dûm or Dwarrowdelf — in the depths below their very feet. Their quest will require fortitude and teamwork, delving deep into the mines of Moria to recover its treasures in the hopes of one day restoring them to their former glory.
Developed by Free Range Games and Published by North Beach Games, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria is available now on Windows PC via the Epic Games Store and the PlayStation®5 computer entertainment system for an MSRP of $24.99 USD, and has been rated “T for Teen” by the ESRB and has a PEGI 12 rating. For more information about The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, visit ReturnToMoria.com, join the community Discord, follow the game on X, TikTok, and YouTube.
For additional details about developer Free Range Games visit their official website and follow them on X, TikTok, and YouTube. For more information on publisher North Beach Games please visit their official website.
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