Although Lord of the Rings: War in the North failed to strike a chord with fans that is not discouraging Warner Bros. Interactive from trying again. With the first of two Hobbit films releasing later this year it seems almost like a forgone conclusion that there would be some sort of tie-in game, and apparently Warner has already set a developer for that task.

Monolith, developer of F.E.A.R. and more recently Gotham City Impostors, is rumored to be developing the game, currently titled The Hobbit: Part One. Monolith doesn't necessarily have a track record in fantasy or role-playing titles, but based on the rumors that are circulating they may be getting a little extra help.

According to Superannuation, Warner Bros. has all but dissolved developer Snowblind Studios, and rolled them into Warner Bros. Games Seattle, where Monolith is also based. Essentially, those members of Snowblind (most likely the ones who focused heavily on War in the North) that remain are helping Monolith out with this Hobbit title.

And Warner Bros. Seattle proper will be taking up developmental duties on the second game, which will tie-in to The Hobbit: There and Back Again.

Even if The Hobbit doesn't get the movie tie-in treatment, Tolkien fans might be able to get their fill in the next year with the rumored LEGO version of Lord of the Rings that is in development. It might not be Bilbo, Smaug, and the dwarves, but it's still something.

At this point we're still in the rumor phase of this Hobbit tie-in game, but it does make sense that Warner Bros. would have something in development, and who better to assume control than the folks that know RPG and J.R.R. Tolkien. There's also no guarantee that a Hobbit game is even in development, it's not exactly a property that screams tie-in, but either way we should know more very soon.

Would you be interested in a Hobbit game developed by Monolith with some assistance from former members of Snowlind? How do you think the game should be realized? As an RPG or some other genre?

Source: Superannuation (via Eurogamer)