It's impossible for any fan of the fantasy genre to not be aware of the legendary franchise that is The Lord of the Rings. J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece is in a class of its own, featuring a bevy of mythical creatures that have become commonplace in the realm of fantasy. Given its massive influence on pop culture as a whole, it's only a given that its influence would stretch to the realm of video games as well.This is perhaps why so many popular games have referenced The Lord of the Rings in some form or the other. The most popular way to reference this franchise is through cheeky easter eggs, with the best of the bunch being mentioned in this list.
10 The "Demon In The Dark" Mission (Borderlands 3)
The Mines of Moria is one of the most iconic locations in The Lord of the Rings. Borderlands 3 recreates this location perfectly during the Demon in the Dark mission.
Here, players need to venture into a rather futuristic version of the Mines of Moria, before reaching a tomb with a skull near a well. Dropping this skull triggers an enemy ambush, coupled with Borderlands 3's very own version of a Balrog too.
9 The Town Of Glowecestre (Assassin's Creed: Valhalla)
The latest entry in the Assassin's Creed series might be a mixed bag, but the attention to detail for this game's world is still immense. The game is full to the brim with easter eggs, and the small area of Glowecestre is a great example of the same.
The entire place looks like a miniaturized version of the Shire. One of the houses — which looks like Bilbo Baggins' domicile — has a note referencing little people, coupled with a ring as well.
8 A Beacon Lighting Up During "Friends In High Places" (Battlefield 1)
The campaign of Battlefield 1 is surprisingly entertaining. It features several high octane missions, coupled with an easter egg during one such mission called Friends in High Places.
At the top of one of the mountains in the mission, players can see a beacon lighting up in the distance. It's a small yet clever reference to a scene in the Lord of the Rings movies where such a beacon is lit up to great fanfare.
7 Bilbo Baggins' House (Red Dead Redemption 2)
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Red Dead Redemption 2's open-world is full to the brim with a ton of detail. In fact, there's so much detail present in the world that most people wouldn't have noticed a rather on-the-nose reference to the iconic house present in The Lord of the Rings.
During his adventures, Arthur can notice the house of Bilbo Baggins present near Bacchus Bridge. He even draws an illustration of it in his journal and questions who was staying here all this time too.
6 Sarcastically Talking About The Rings Of Power (The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings)
The Witcher 2 features a substantial branching storyline where Geralt can side with either Vernon Roche or Iorveth as they embark on their quest to regain their memories. For the most part, players sided with the elf, allowing them to witness one of the more amusing conversations in the game.
During a conversation with Philippa Eilhart, the sorceress mentions how a potent poison can only be cured by generating a ton of power from something like a legendary Ring of Power. This prompts Iorveth to mock the popular saying about the ring, before Geralt chimes in with a humdinger of his own too.
5 A Reference To The All-Powerful Ring (Dying Light)
The powerful ring that is a staple of Lord of the Rings is featured in Dying Light as well. Players need to protect a guy called Nick as he goes to various stashes around the map.
When Nick reaches the first stash, he rambles on about a powerful ability of his before talking about how he found a "Ring of Power". It's a rather cheeky and obvious reference, but a welcome one regardless.
4 The Ring Hidden In Plain View (A Plague Tale: Innocence)
A Plague Tale: Innocence is full to the brim with several easter eggs referencing various popular media. One such reference comes during the chapter where Melie is showing off her lockpicking skills.
During this moment, players can find a table in the tent where a very distinct ring is present. The engravings on this ring are also pretty apparent once players get the angle right too.
3 The Obviously Named Smigole Serkis (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt)
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the greatest games of all time. The world is jam-packed with detail, with Blood & Wine adding a whole new area that players can explore too.
In this area, players can find the letter of a man by the name of Smigole Serkis, who talks about some legendary spoons. It shouldn't take an expert to figure out that this name is a combination of Smeagol, Gollum, and Andy Serkis.
2 A Clever Easter Egg Referencing An Iconic Scene (Tom Clancy's The Division 2)
The Division 2 is one of the more interesting online games around, featuring a great gameplay loop coupled with a detailed open world. In fact, some of the details in this world are truly astounding.
Some keen-eyed players have even found a clever reference in the game where the hobbits are hiding from the Nazgul under a patch of land. This scene has been recreated with backpacks that reference the colors of the hobbits, coupled with some rags on a tree that is meant to represent the Nazgul.
1 The Iconic Party Sign (Hitman 3)
Fans of The Lord of the Rings remember the party that Bilbo Baggins was hosting at the start of the story. The sign that was present near his home made things even more festive.
Well, this sign with the exact same wording can be found in Hitman 3 as well. In the vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina, players will notice this sign at the front entrance of the target's house, right under all the guards.