LOTR: The Return of the King game turns 20 this year and we feel ancient

It’s a brand new year and with that, a ton of new gaming releases lie in wait ahead of us. Each major console has its own money-spinner. PlayStation has got Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Xbox will finally release Starfield, while Nintendo is bringing Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to the table. Could I have already mentioned 2023’s GOTY or are we in for a surprise? Ah, it’s all so exciting.

The dawn of a new year also prompts us to look back as well as ahead, and there are several major titles turning 20 years old this year and dearest reader, that’s a fact that makes me feel very ancient indeed. One of those games is Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Can you believe this gem released on PlayStation 2 and PC all the way back in 2003?

Speaking of Tears of the Kingdom, check out the latest trailer below.

It doesn’t take a genius to know that The Return of the King is based on the film of the same name. It’s funny because I remember playing this game when I was younger and thinking it looked so cutting edge - and it was considered pretty slick in its heyday - but as with everything, it’s showing its age when I look back at it now. The Return of the King is the perfect candidate to get the remake treatment but whether that’ll ever happen is unknown.

That’s not the only game turning 20. Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Call of Duty, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Sonic Heroes were also all released in 2003.

Interestingly, Prince of Persia and KOTOR are currently being remade - but both are stuck in development hell. Last year, production on KOTOR switched over from Saber Interactive to Aspyr, while Prince of Persia switched from Ubisoft Mumbai to Ubisoft Montreal. Hopefully, it’ll be smoother sailing for both projects going forwards.