Durin’s Day, Oct. 17 - The Nerd of the Rings Hosts Legendary Actor John Rhys-Davies to Discuss His Role in The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Oct. 17, 2023 — Independent developer Free Range Games and publisher North Beach Games are excited to announce that esteemed actor John Rhys-Davies will reprise his iconic role as the world’s most beloved Dwarf, Lord Gimli Lockbearer, as part of the official voice actor’s cast for the highly-anticipated co-op survival crafting title, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. Hear Rhys-Davies in action as Gimli in the official opening cinematic for the game, released today. As a special celebration, on the Dwarven holiday of Durin’s Day, October 17, Rhys-Davies joins Nerd of the Rings, the largest YouTube channel in the world dedicated entirely to Middle-earth, for an exclusive interview discussing his role in the game, working with the development team at Free Range Games, returning to The Lord of the Rings, and more.

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“It's always fun to come back and think of the 'what-ifs', and the chance to work on this game is an exploration of one of the what-ifs, isn't it?” said John Rhys-Davies.
“Actors often create characters out of love and it's very hard, sometimes, to let them go. Certainly, Gimli is, for me, a character that I really adore, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to reprise him in a different context."

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Watch the Opening Cinematic for The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria on YouTube

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"Authenticity is a cornerstone of The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria and when it came to casting Gimli, there was only one name everyone wanted,” said Chris Scholz, CEO of Free Range Games. “It's been an honor, a privilege, and a dream to have Mr. John Rhys-Davies reprise this iconic role."

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The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria Durin’s Day Interview with John Rhys-Davies, hosted by Nerd of the Rings, will be broadcast on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023 at 9:00 am PDT / 12:00 pm EDT. The interview will air on the Nerd of the Rings YouTube channel, and will be available to watch in its entirety via VOD recording following the conclusion of the broadcast.

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The story of The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria takes players beyond the books and into the Fourth Age of Middle-earth, the fantastical world created by J.R.R. Tolkien. Summoned to the Misty Mountains by Lord Gimli Lockbearer, players band together as a company of Dwarves tasked to reclaim the lost spoils from the Dwarven homeland of Moria—known as Khazad-dûm or Dwarrowdelf—in the depths below their very feet. Their quest will require fortitude and teamwork, delving deep into the Mines of Moria to recover its treasures and in the hopes of one day restoring them to their former glory.

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Developed by Free Range Games and Published by North Beach Games, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria will launch on Oct. 24 for an MSRP of $39.99 USD / €35.99 EUR, and has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB and has a PEGI 16 rating. Eager fans can pre-order the game digitally on PC via the Epic Games Store and wishlist on PlayStation®5 via the PlayStation® Store. For more information about The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, visit ReturnToMoria.com.

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For additional details, follow the developer Free Range Games at their official website and follow them on Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube. For more information on publisher North Beach Games please visit their official website.

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About Free Range Games:

Free Range Games, headquartered in Sausalito, California, is a video game developer founded in 2009 by veteran developers and longtime collaborators. Free Range Games’ mission is to make games people find meaningful, memorable, and fun. To learn more about Free Range Games visit the website at: https://www.freerangegames.com.

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About North Beach Games:

North Beach Games publishes PC and console games with a focus on the survival crafting and role-playing categories. The company’s mission is to partner with and empower the world's best independent developers and studios. Based San Rafael, CA, North Beach Games is comprised of industry veterans with a wide range of experience in publishing, marketing and game development. Most recently, North Beach Games has co-published Stranded Deep for console in partnership with Beam Team Games and provided publishing services for 7 Days to Die with The Fun Pimps.

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About Middle-earth Enterprises:

Middle-earth created by J.R.R. Tolkien is the definitive, deepest, richest and most beloved fantasy world of our time.  As its stewards and custodians, our goal is to consistently deliver a wealth of great content in both new, and known formats; to ensure Middle-earth’s rightful place as the world’s leading fantasy IP and brand, forever. Inspired by our deep appreciation for the fictional world created by Professor Tolkien, we are dedicated to working with those providing highest quality products in accordance with best green business and sustainability practices, including fair trade, equality in the workplace, and a commitment to protect our earth, its wondrous beauty and the viability of every living creature. Middle-earth Enterprises was acquired by the Embracer Group in 2022, and has been producing and licensing films, merchandise, electronic games, services, and live stage productions based upon The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books, for more than half a century. www.middleearth.com.

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© 2023 Free Range Games. All rights reserved. Free Range Games and the Free Range Games logo are trademarks or service marks of Free Range Games.

© 2023 North Beach Games and associated logos and names are trademarks of Open Door Entertainment, LLC.  All rights reserved.

© 2023 Epic Games, Inc. All rights reserved. Epic, Epic Games, Epic Games Store and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. In the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and elsewhere.

© 2023 Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC."PlayStation Family Mark", "PlayStation", "PS5 logo", "PS5", "PlayStation Shapes Logo" and "Play Has No Limits" are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

© 2023 Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC. All rights reserved. "Moria", "Middle-earth" and "The Lord of the Rings" and the names of the characters, events, items, and places therein are trademarks or registered trademarks Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC under license to Open Door Entertainment, LLC dba North Beach Games.

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Media Contact:

Kjell Vistad | Grady Penna

ONE PR Studio [for North Beach Games]

ReturnToMoria@ONEPRStudio.com