The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria makes its debut on Xbox and Steam with cross-platform functionality this month

Game studio Free Range Games has announced that The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria will launch on Xbox Series X|S and Steam on August 27, accompanied by an array of fresh enhancements.

Dubbed the Golden Update, it introduces cross-play across various platforms, which means PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, and Epic users will be able to collaborate and play in shared sessions. The sandbox mode, a feature once exclusive to the Epic Games Store beta, will now be accessible across all platforms, offering players the chance to explore randomly created game environments.

Additional updates include a stop feature for solo play when offline and a spectrum of difficulty options. These settings allow players to fine-tune elements such as enemy hostility levels, fighting mechanics, patrol occurrence, and what players can collect when mining. An array of new construction elements, decorations, equipment, and protective gear is also being introduced.

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria blends elements of survival and crafting within its gameplay and initially debuted in October 2023 as a PC exclusive on the Epic Games Store. Following its initial release, it expanded its reach to PlayStation gamers in December.