Suuuper late reply, sorry about that. I somehow missed this post.
I'm getting mixed responses to the Rings of Power series. Personally I am not holding my breath on it, but I certainly can't judge it before it releases. By the same token, if the Amazon game is met with mixed or poor reviews, I don't think LOTRO is in much danger. Most casual Lord of the Rings fans are familiar with/enjoy the Third Age (Bilbo, Frodo, Gandalf, etc). And SSG is doing a good job of expanding the map and allowing us to explore and experience the LOTR world most people want. I look forward to giving the new game a try, but I don't think it will be easily compared to lotro.
Speaking of which, I've been craving lotro lately, and may be getting back on more regularly if anyone else wants to group up.