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Today is an important day for LOTRO: we’ve announced that this fall, LOTRO will begin offering a Free-to-Play option! Players will be able to download the game and adventure in Middle-earth for free. With Free-to-Play comes the addition of the LOTRO Store, where players will have immediate in-game access to a wide variety of special items, account services, and convenience items. The best part is – as existing subscribers you’re automatically enrolled in our VIP program! As a VIP you’ll continue to get unlimited access to the game and all of the content you already enjoy, in addition to some extra perks! We know you’re curious how all of this will work and what it all means for you personally, so here are some handy links to all of the details:
Still have questions? Here’s a quick FAQ about the key points of LOTRO Free-to-Play: Is this the same model you used with DDO? It’s very similar in a large number of ways. The basic structure is the same with some changes made to support LOTRO’s different game world and wide-open environment. Customer levels, the LOTRO Store, and other aspects of LOTRO Free-to-Play are all very similar to those of Dungeons and Dragons Online®: Eberron Unlimited™. I already subscribe to LOTRO. Is there any benefit to staying a subscriber? Of course! Once the game goes live you’ll keep all your current privileges, and also accrue 500 free Turbine Points per month to spend as you wish. We also have a set of Loyalty Reward Special Offers just for our veteran players – as long as you maintain your subscription in good standing you may be eligible for up to 3,000 points. If you stay active over the summer you will also earn an additional bonus of 500 Turbine Points per month until launch! For more details see the Loyalty Reward Special Offer Terms & Conditions for full details. I have a lifetime subscription to LOTRO. What will Free-to-Play mean for me? As a lifetime subscriber to LOTRO, you will keep all of your membership privileges and are automatically upgraded to VIP status. You will receive 500 Free Turbine Points every month like the other VIPs, but you do not have to pay a monthly fee since you are a lifetime member. All you have to do is keep playing the game and visit the LOTRO Store to spend your free Turbine Points. Lifetime members may also qualify for a special one-time Loyalty Reward of 1,000 Turbine Points. See the Loyalty Reward Special Offer Terms & Conditions for full details. I am a LOTRO Founder. What will Free-to-Play mean for me? As a LOTRO Founder, you automatically become a VIP and will keep all of your membership privileges as long as you pay your monthly fee. You will automatically receive 500 Free Turbine Points every month and you can spend them at your leisure in the LOTRO Store. Founding members may also qualify for a special one-time Loyalty Reward of 500 Turbine Points. See the Loyalty Reward Special Offer Terms & Conditions for full details. Will there be a Free-to-Play Beta and when will it start? Yes! The Beta will start in the very near future. We’ll begin accepting signups immediately at www.lotro.com/betasignup! I’m a new or returning player. How do I sign up for Beta? Start by registering at www.lotro.com/betasignup. We’ll select entrants from that list once beta starts. I’m an existing customer. How do I sign up for the Beta? Existing subscribers do not need to register to apply for the beta – we’ll randomly invite subscribers who have been active in the last 30 days and have an account in good standing throughout the beta. If you wish to register at www.lotro.com/betasignup that will count as an extra entry and may increase your chance of being selected for participation. Is there any way to increase my chance of getting into the beta? Sure! Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook! We’ll give out special beta entry codes to our fans via social media - so give yourself the best chance of getting in and make sure to keep an eye on Twitter and Facebook for updates. Are we under NDA during the beta? Yes. What happens in beta stays in beta! Once you receive your invitation and apply your beta key to your account, you will have access to the private beta forums. This is the only place to discuss anything you see or do in beta. Remember, the first rule of beta is you do not talk about beta! What can I still talk about on the public forums? Our NDA specifies that no materials related to the beta (including updates, gameplay or user interface) may be discussed or posted without Turbine's express permission. The NDA remains in effect whether you remain in the program, or the program ends. When does LOTRO F2P go live? Free-to-Play will go live when Volume 3, Book 2 releases this fall. Is Free-to-Play the only thing to look forward to for Volume 3, Book2? No! Volume 3, Book 2 will continue the Volume 3 Epic Story as the Rangers head south. An all new area, Enedwaith, will be available as well as some exciting new features and many updates to the game including DX11 support! We’ll have more information about Volume 3, Book 2 as we approach launch. Keep an eye out for Developer Diaries and other information throughout the summer! I still have questions. Where can I ask them? If you still have questions after reading the full FAQ, please use the LOTRO Free-to-Play discussion forum for questions and comments! We’re very excited about LOTRO’s move to Free-to-Play and we can’t wait for you to see all the incredible changes the team has already made to the game. Make sure you read Executive Producer Kate Paiz’s letter to the community for some great information on where LOTRO is going! |
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I've traveled the roads of Middle Earth for a long time... I've seen all there is to see from Taurin's Hall in the east to the Gates of Khazad-dûm... I've made lots of friends during my journey... ...but when I entered Khazad-dûm I got lost... The Mines are a weird place, one could loose track of where he's going. The Mines have swallowed me in their shadows. ...no return... I hope my successor will be able to find the exit of the Mines and get in contact with to our family in Lothlórien... |
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One user on mmorpg.com was so kind to copy/paste the article from the Financial Times for registered users: Warner buys Turbine for micro-payment push (article on financial times for registered users)
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Some breaking news I've read on mmorpg.com as well as on the Turbine website. Turbine has been bought by Warner Bros.  Why am I sad about this? Because most takeovers in the gaming industry hit the games made by the one taken over (Turbine in this case) directly. Sometimes not direct, but within two years you'll notice changes in the game you're playing. So what will happen with Lord of the Rings? Too bad I can't look into the future (or I'd be a millionaire by now  ), but one thing is for sure. For the coming year, Turbine can continue on their development of Lord of the Rings (as well as Dungeons & Dragons online and Asherons Call), but Warner Bors. will pick up their scepter for sure.My guess is that it's a purely financial issue for Turbine. Last year there was a a paid-for expansion for Lord of the Rings online (Siege of Mirkwood), which was not boxed and only to be downloaded. This expansion was not as big as Mines of Moria, so I figured Turbine was in need of money. Later that year, Dungeons & Dragons online was changed from Pay2Play to Free2Play to get more people playing the game. Two direct signs that Turbine is not doing so well financially, though they hold a real gem there: Lord of the Rings. What will Warner Bros. do..? They now hold all licenses for games from Tolkien Enterprises. Since Tolkien Enterprises holds a tight leash on the license holders, nothing might change to Lord of the Rings online. On the other hand, with most games having their focus on Player vs Player, the coming expansion of Rohan and Mordor might bring a huge change to the game. I could imagine that with the coming of the Rohan expansion the players will be able to play the forces of Sauron as well, making the game an open world Realm vs Realm game (I hope this won't ever happen!). On the other hand, the Rohan expansion will most likely bring a lot of development costs with it (mounted combad and stuff like that), and Turbine just secured the funds to make this possible. lets see what the future will bring and pray that Warner Bros. won't change the current feel of Lord of the Rings too much. The game is one of the few questing based games with a huge storyline and lacking Player vs Player combat. |
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After 2 years I thought my time has come to leave the kinship Aeon Knights. I joined them halfway 2008 when I was waiting for Age of Conan and we spoke on the forums there. At the time, Aeon Knights was one of the biggest kinships on the server. Last year they lost a lot of members because the old core of the kinship went to other games (including me). Since I've returned to Lord of the Rings and teamed up with Aeon Knights again, there have been lots of changes. First of all, I didn't know most of the members. But more importantly, these new members didn't share the old Aeon Knights spirit. This also reflected on the forum of Aeon Knights, where there was little to no discussion, other than that of the old members. An other thing that bugged me was the solitary and egocentric nature of the new members. When I left I sent 4 members (Chardora, Thetrue, Fami and Tildja) a note in-game, and these were the only surviving old members. Chardora (the current leader) IMd me on her alt and we spoke about it. She told me I was right on all occasions. She also told me that Aeon Knights has done some serious "blind" inviting into the kinship to become as big again as they were back in 2008. She also said to screen the new members a bit more from now on. So for now I'll stay without kinship. I fear that the changes Lord of the Rings has gone through in general - becoming more and more a single player MMO till cap is reached - will effect most kinships with their "lower level" members (though 57 is not low I think). |
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