It is hard to believe that Tolkien would have predicted it in his day, but Lord of the Rings remains the entertainment franchise that keeps on giving.

Only a few days ago, it was rumored that the mighty series may soon be available in video game form, boasting an open world that allows players to roam across Middle-Earth as they please. It’s not like the most dedicated fans have already done that in their imagination, of course, but it is nice to know that people may soon have a more concrete opportunity to enjoy this.

While some may disapprove of the way in which Tolkien’s legacy is constantly mined for yet more content to satisfy an audience, it has to be said that the original works prove how strong they are by still holding up over time. Between the books and Peter Jackson’s original films, there is plenty to satisfy somebody who enjoys the stories they tell for a lifetime. Not every series can make that claim.

The alternate universe that has been created is so convincing, in fact, that the meme community that has sprung up around it continues to flourish, both years before and after Bilbo Baggins went viral for asking, «Why not?». One of the best things about being a LOTR fan in this day and age is having access to all the humor the internet has created around it, and what’s even better is that it is brought to us for free. It’s a labor of love.