Durin’s Folk DLC Adds Over 20 Hours of New Content to The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria Next Month

Developer Free Range Games and publisher North Beach Games have announced that The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria will receive its first major expansion, Durin’s Folk, launching on November 18 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. This DLC will significantly expand the game’s scope with over 20 hours of new content, new cooperative events, and randomized dungeon expeditions for players to explore repeatedly.

The upcoming expansion adds an entirely new story chapter packed with expanded lore, new gameplay mechanics, and challenging environments that take players beyond the mountain’s caverns into unexplored regions. According to the developers, Durin’s Folk represents the next evolution of Return to Moria, blending survival gameplay with deeper world-building and storytelling.

Among the standout additions is a new NPC recruitment system, allowing players to rescue and enlist characters found throughout the mines. These NPCs can join settlements and take on important roles such as blacksmith, miner, brewmaster, or guard, helping the dwarven community grow and thrive. Over time, players can collaborate with their recruits to construct monumental structures known as Monuments, a new building mechanic that adds a sense of long-term progression to the game’s settlement system.

The story will take players to Durin’s Tower, a mysterious new location that holds secrets tied to the legacy of Khazad-dûm. For the first time, players will also be able to explore the world outside the mountain, opening up vast new areas for base building, crafting, and exploration. The expansion brings a wealth of new materials, items, and crafting recipes, ensuring that both newcomers and returning players have plenty to discover.

Additionally, Durin’s Folk introduces repeatable endgame expeditions featuring randomized dungeons filled with valuable loot and increasingly difficult challenges. These cooperative missions will allow players to continue testing their skills long after the main story is complete.

Originally launched in October 2023 on PC (Epic Games Store) and PlayStation 5, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria later expanded to Steam and Xbox Series X|S in August 2024. While the game didn’t break sales records, it developed a strong and loyal following, earning a “Very Positive” user rating on Steam and reportedly selling around 500,000 units across platforms.

The continued support and release of Durin’s Folk reinforce Free Range Games’ commitment to expanding the dwarven survival experience in Tolkien’s universe. With rich lore, new gameplay layers, and a strong cooperative foundation, Return to Moria looks set to reclaim the depths once again.

Will you return to Khazad-dûm when Durin’s Folk releases this November? Share your plans below.