Lord of the Rings: Gollum delayed “a few months” for “polishing”

Daedalic Entertainment and publisher Nacon have announced a delay for LOTR: Gollum, which previously bore a September 2022 release date.

Nacon and Daedalic originally announced the Gollum-starring adventure in early 2019, promising to take players on a journey unlike any other.

As opposed to some of the more action-oriented interactive experiences set in Middle-earth, LOTR: Gollum features gameplay that primarily focuses on stealth.

The companies showcased some of Gollum’s stealth mechanics during the Nacon Connect stream earlier this month. However, the footage raised a lot of questions about the project’s polish, particularly due to its late 2022 launch date.

LOTR: Gollum release date delay announced

Daedalic and Nacon have issued a press release confirming that Lord of the Rings: Gollum will no longer hit stores this September.

In the interest of delivering the “best possible experience,” the developer and publisher decided to postpone the stealth title’s release “by a few months.”

Notably, such a move will allow “more time for polishing.” Nacon has yet to share a new due date for Gollum but concrete details on the matter should surface in the not-so-distant future.

Following the release of the sneak-based gameplay footage, many were quick to point out the unrefined visual quality. The seemingly rudimentary mechanics left a lot to be desired, as well.

If the Gollum gameplay in question represented the experience as a whole, a delay to LOTR: Gollum will likely benefit the final product.

All in all, the project seems rather ambitious. In addition to emphasizing stealth, Daedalic’s new Lord of the Rings adventure will deeply explore the fractured mind of Gollum and Sméagol.

Whenever the title launches, it will do so across Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S platforms.