Throughout the early 2020s, multiple branches of the asmodee empire have released games based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings — such as Fate of the Fellowship, Duel for Middle-earth, The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game, and even Spot it! The Lord of the Rings — and now U.S. publisher Restoration Games has partnered with one of those branches, Space Cowboys, to announce a Tolkien-based game of its own — The Lord of the Rings: The King's Gambit, an evolution of the 2000 game Star Wars: The Queen's Gambit from Rob Daviau, Alan Roach, and Craig Van Ness, with a deluxe crowdfunded edition to be released first, with a retail edition to follow.
Here's the full text of Restoration Games' press release from March 25, 2026:
Sunrise, FL – March 25, 2026. Today, Restoration Games and Space Cowboys announced a joint project to revive a beloved classic board game, The Queen's Gambit – this time set in the world of The Lord of the Rings. The two publishers are working together on the design and look of the game to create a truly epic experience. Under this joint publication, Restoration Games will oversee a crowdfunding campaign for a limited-edition deluxe version of the game, while Space Cowboys will handle the release of the standard retail edition, distributed worldwide by Asmodee Group.
Like the original, The Lord of the Rings: The King's Gambit features a sprawling, epic battle across multiple fields of play. The Riders of Rohan clash against hordes of Orcs on Pelennor Fields. The brave Gondorians fend off the forces of Shadow in Minas Tirith. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas maneuver their way through Haradrim on the Great Port at Pelargir to join the fight. And Frodo and Sam navigate the perilous journey through Mordor to the fires of Mount Doom. Game design is led by Rob Daviau, the legendary designer and co-founder of Restoration Games. Packed with detailed figures, thrilling decisions, and countless ways to win, this game delivers the ultimate experience for fans of The Lord of the Rings and board gaming alike.
"When I first had the idea for Restoration Games, the very first game that came into my head to bring back was The Queen’s Gambit," said Justin D. Jacobson, owner of Restoration Games. "It was everybody's grail game and a game that Rob worked on back at Hasbro. We knew we needed an epic license to match the original, and The Lord of the Rings was right at the top of our list. In an unbelievable twist of fate, Restoration Games reached out to Middle-earth Enterprises at the same time as Space Cowboys reached out to Rob with the exact same idea. The rest is history."
Restoration Games will be crowdfunding a limited deluxe edition of the game later this year [2026]. It will feature upgraded components, including three-dimensional representations of Minas Tirith and Mordor to bookend the play area. This edition will only be available during the campaign and for a limited number of additional copies afterwards. Then in 2027, Space Cowboys will release the retail edition worldwide through Asmodee's global distribution and its network of international partners, complete with the same striking art and exciting gameplay.
"Like so many players, we've always been huge fans of The Queen’s Gambit,” said Vincent Goyat, Head of Creation at the Space Cowboys studio. “It holds a special place for many of us at the Space Cowboys studio, and, from the start, we were more than happy to see such an enthusiastic response to this project from the outstanding teams at Restoration Games. With The King’s Gambit, we wanted to honor that legacy while reimagining it for a new generation of players. The Lord of the Rings offers the perfect epic canvas, and together with Restoration Games, we’re excited to help bring this legendary experience back to life for fans around the world.
