Lord of the Rings Dota-like Game Announced by Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Interactive has announced a new Lords of the Ring game to tie-in with Peter Jackson's upcoming The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey — but it couldn't be further from what you were expecting.

The game will be called Guardians of Middle-Earth but it won't be your standard hack-and-slash affair. Developer Monolith has instead patterned the game after Defense of the Ancients (DOTA); or as they call it now the "Multiplayer Online Battle Arena" (MOBA) genre.

While it might use the LOTR license, the game will still adhere to the genre's usual tropes as stated below.

* Fight as over 20 iconic guardians from Middle-earth — each with different strengths and abilities to develop and master.

* Purchase items and buffs between matches using in-game currency earned through combat.

* Track victories and defeats at any time through stat and leaderboard systems

Coordinate with allies using in-game voice communication for a uniquely social Multiplayer Online Battle Arena experience.

* Engage in the continuing conflict over Middle-earth with new guardians to be revealed post launch, with several released in conjunction with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey motion picture to deliver gamers a deeper connection to Peter Jackson's epic film

Guardians of Middle-Earth is scheduled to be out this fall on the PlayStation Network and on Xbox LIVE. Yep, there will be no PC release.

Does this sound good to your or merely an obvious cash-grab by Warner Bros.?