A Lord of the Rings digital card game just launched on Microsoft’s Xbox One consoles

The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game launched on Microsoft’s family of Xbox One consoles earlier this week. The game went live with very little fanfare which is rather surprising given the prestige of the property and reputation of Lord of the Rings video games on Xbox consoles.

This The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game title is, as its name implies, a digital card game in the vein of Gwent and Hearthstone. It features numerous characters and species from The Lord of the Rings and supports online support for player versus player matches.

Unlike Gwent and Hearthstone which are both free-to-play titles, The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game is retailing for $24.99 which may restrict its playerbase someone. It is, however, available to play for free for all Xbox Game Pass subscribers so this could be a way to build up a following.

Here’s the official (long) game description and launch trailer:

Build a deck of iconic Heroes and challenge the forces of Sauron in this thrilling tactical card game. Go forth on your own or join forces with a friend and explore famous locations, complete story-driven quests, and forge your own legend of Middle-earth. But beware the Eye of Sauron—should you draw his attention, all will be lost…

Answer the call of countless adventures, face the dark forces of Sauron, and protect the Free Peoples of Middle-earth. As allies gather and foes arise, so your journey begins.

The time has come to form and lead your own fellowship of heroes through immersive story-driven campaigns—each with its own unique narrative and challenges.
Pick three Heroes from some of the most emblematic characters of Middle-earth, then build your deck around their specific abilities and powers. Each Hero belongs to one of four Spheres of Influence—Leadership, Lore, Spirit, or Tactics—which allows you to play specific cards while in-game. Choose wisely when building your deck to make the most of each Hero and gain the advantage against Sauron’s forces. Each story-driven Campaign is set in famous locations across Middle-earth, providing hours of thrilling gameplay where each choice you make will forge a legend that will be sung about for ages to come.

While your journeys may contain great challenges, taking advantage of your Heroes and your customized decks will earn you victory in battle. Sometimes combining the strength of multiple champions from the same Sphere of Influence can help you overcome the swarms of Enemies that you will face. You might also apply your Characters’ Willpower to the Fate Pool and trigger powerful abilities that can turn the tide of battle. Each Quest is different, and there is no single path to victory—find the deck and the strategy that works for your fellowship!

Every Quest will require experimenting with different strategies as you confront ever more terrifying foes, ranging from giant Spiders to fierce Trolls, and even hordes of powerful Orcs! The Dark Lord will do everything in his power to prevent you from completing your journey. Watch out for the Threat Pool—as its total increases, Sauron can unleash story-specific events to make your Quest more difficult. Take care—if you reach the maximum Threat level, you will suffer Sauron’s full attention and fail your Quest!

Are you a fan of Lord of the Rings and will you give this card game a try? Let us know why or why not in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook for more Xbox gaming content.