The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Trick-Taking Game Set for February 2027
Designer Bryan Bornmueller's third Lord of the Rings trick-taking game adds a crown mechanic that lets players exchange cards.
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Trick-Taking Game will be released in February 2027, concluding the trilogy designed by Bryan Bornmueller, according to Polygon. Bornmueller discussed the game in an interview with the outlet at Spiel Essen.
The new title adds a crown mechanic used to exchange cards: players place cards under the crown, and kneeling to the king allows them to take those cards.
The game completes a series that began with a version based on The Fellowship of the Ring, published in 2024, and continued with The Two Towers Trick-Taking Game, which Bornmueller released in January 2026 and which introduced the White and Black Towers as dueling trump cards.
Taylor Reiner is listed as co-developer of the trick-taking games. Asmodee, which published earlier Tolkien-based games such as Journeys in Middle-Earth and The Lord of the Rings living card game, is not named in the facts as publisher of this line.
Earlier Tolkien games
Reiner Knizia's The Lord of the Rings board game was released in 2000, and Thomas Sing designed The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine.
Quick answers
When does The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Trick-Taking Game come out?
It is scheduled for release in February 2027.
What is new in The Return of the King Trick-Taking Game?
It adds a crown mechanic used to exchange cards, with players placing cards under the crown and kneeling to the king to take them.
Who designed the Lord of the Rings trick-taking games?
Bryan Bornmueller designed the trilogy, with Taylor Reiner listed as co-developer.