The Lord of the Rings: Gollum – A Catastrophic Video Game Failure

The Disastrous Release of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

has undoubtedly become one of the biggest video game disasters in recent years. Released earlier this year, the game received universally negative reviews and quickly claimed the title of the worst game of 2023 so far on Metacritic and OpenCritic.

Behind the Scenes at Daedalic: A Perfect Storm of Mistakes

A new report has shed light on the series of unfortunate events that led to the failure of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. The developers, Daedalic, were caught in a whirlwind of problems, including overstretched resources, crunch culture, and the ambitious attempt to create a triple-A game on a fraction of the budget.

Overambition and Gameplay Elements

According to more than 30 Daedalic staff members interviewed by German outlet Game Two, the studio had set out with lofty ambitions to create a story-driven game with a unique combination of different gameplay ideas. The developers even considered incorporating a free climbing mechanic similar to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. However, this idea was ultimately discarded.

A Plethora of Half-Baked Ideas

The game ended up incorporating various half-baked and underused ideas, including different minigames, companion command menus, and even an internal debate between Gollum and Smeagol. The latter, initially intended to be a more ambitious minigame, was never fully realized and had to be replaced with a last-minute “stopgap” solution in the final version of the game.

The Drift Away from Narrative Focus

As development progressed, the game started to drift away from its original focus on narrative, yet failed to adapt its gameplay accordingly. Consequently, players were forced to endure long stretches where they simply accompanied characters or remained stationary while story details were delivered to them. Some scenes that were meant to include animated characters had missing animations hidden from the player’s view, resulting in awkward moments such as Gollum staring at a window during a conversation between two characters.

The Funding Predicament

Compounding the problem of an overambitious vision was the lack of adequate funding. Daedalic reportedly made three unsuccessful applications for additional funding, leaving the team to create a triple-A experience on a mere €15 million budget. This amount represented around a tenth of what is typically allocated to a triple-A video game.

A Toxic Working Environment

Adding to the challenges faced by the development team was the allegedly toxic working environment fostered by the company’s CEO and COO. Employees claimed to have spoken in whispers to avoid being overheard and subjected to shouting. However, Daedalic denied these claims and insisted on maintaining a “friendly working atmosphere.”

Pessimistic Outlook and Lack of Co-Investors

The team’s morale took another hit when Bastei Lübbe, the German book publishing giant that owned Daedalic at the time, publicly expressed doubts about the developers and their future prospects. Furthermore, the project lacked co-investors for several years, with the situation only improving when Nacon joined as a co-publisher.

A Race Against Time

Complicating matters further was the limited time frame associated with the license to create a Lord of the Rings game. Despite multiple delays, including a final delay meant to salvage the game’s reputation, developers knew that The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was a “total loss” long before its catastrophic release.

The Apology Controversy

Following the game’s release, Daedalic issued an apology for the “underwhelming experience” and the disappointment it caused fans. However, sources revealed that the apology was actually generated by an AI tool called ChatGPT and was published by Nacon without any involvement or knowledge from Daedalic.

A Grim Future for Daedalic

In July, Daedalic reportedly laid off over a quarter of its workforce, amounting to more than two dozen staff members. Moreover, the planned sequel to The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, scheduled for late 2024, was canceled. As a result of these setbacks, the studio announced that it would no longer develop video games internally, shifting its focus to publishing efforts instead.

In conclusion, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum serves as a cautionary tale of overambition, limited resources, and a series of unfortunate events that led to the game’s catastrophic failure. The developers at Daedalic faced numerous challenges, including a toxic working environment and a lack of funding, ultimately resulting in a subpar gaming experience that disappointed fans and tarnished the Lord of the Rings franchise.