For some reason I was under the impression that this is a Knizia creation. If it is, I have to wonder, is the previous FFG The Hobbit title ALSO a Knizia? I seem to remember that it was? I wasn't very interested to try the last The Hobbit title, perhaps because it seemed more of a kids' game, but this one seems much more interesting. It would seem strange for the same title/theme to be released by the same company by the same designer but be a completely different game. Is this indeed the case?

This is a Knizia. The last Hobbit was not, but both are Fantasy Flight Games.