The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Is Officially Getting a New Version Next Year
The final instalment in Bryan Bornmueller’s cooperative Lord of the Rings trick-taking game series, The Return of the King Trick-Taking Game, is due in February 2027. The games turn events from Tolkien’s books into card missions, offering an accessible way for players to experience the story together.
The series began with The Fellowship of the Ring in 2024, followed by The Two Towers in January. Players have limited information and must coordinate to meet each mission’s conditions, with chapters introducing characters, abilities and new challenges. Bornmueller says playtesters who had played the games together for years became emotional during the final chapter.
In short
- The trilogy concludes with a game due in February 2027.
- Players work together through missions based on Tolkien’s story.
- The final chapter moved some long-time playtest groups.
Explained simply
The Lord of the Rings is a fantasy story by J.R.R. Tolkien about a group trying to destroy a powerful ring and prevent the Dark Lord Sauron from conquering Middle-earth. Its final part, The Return of the King, follows the struggle to defeat Sauron and the return of the rightful king.
Trick-taking is a card-game format in which players take turns playing cards, and the strongest card in a round usually wins it. In this cooperative version, players work together through missions inspired by the books, while limited information means they must coordinate carefully.
The game is part of a series based on Tolkien’s three-part story, with earlier instalments following The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. Designer Bryan Bornmueller has adapted the story into chapters that introduce characters, abilities and challenges as players progress.