Game Two

Report: Why Gollum HAD to fail | GAME TWO #307 (12x7)

: 07, 2023

Game Two investigates: "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum" from Hamburg-based studio Daedalic Entertainment is considered the flop of the year: 34 out of 100 points on review aggregator Metacritic, over 64% negative user ratings on Steam and lots of angry comments about bugs, crashes and false advertising promises. But what exactly happened behind the scenes? What decisions led to the disastrous launch? And how did those involved experience the bumpy development of the studio's "first big blockbuster game" and the eventual wave of cancellations? In our investigative research, we reveal why Gollum HAD to fail.