Lord Of The Rings Online Celebrates 15th Anniversary By Making Tons Of Content Free-To-Play
Lord of the Rings Online is set to make one of the biggest changes to its monetization scheme since the fantasy MMORPG went free-to-play in 2010. If you like free stuff (who doesn’t?), then you’ll be happy to know that Standing Stone Games will be making a boatload of content permanently free alongside the release of Update 33 in April.
“With [Update 33], all quests, areas, instances, and expansions released between the original launch of LOTRO back in 2007 and up to – and including! - the release of Helm’s Deep will be available for free to everyone. Quest, explore, and craft your way to level 95 to your heart’s content!”
The update will also kick off the long-standing MMORPG’s 15th anniversary celebration featuring the return of the Anniversary Festival which will come with a brand new instance: A Flurry of Fireworks! In the new instance, players will help set up the greatest fireworks display that Bree-land has ever seen by delivering fireworks to their designated locations in time for the display.
Changes will also be made to VIP perks including giving subscribers access to the standard versions of the Mordor, Minas Morgul, and War of Three Peaks expansions. The team will also be following up on last month’s cash shop changes by making the High Elf race as well as the Rune-Keeper, Warden, and Beorning classes free for all players.
Finally, Update 33 will also be adding a new zone to the north of the Shire called Yondershire, a sparsely populated forest region inhabited by outcast Hobbits.
“Since the time of Bullroarer Took, the Yondershire has squabbled with the more comfortable parts of the Shire. The upstart Lotho Sackville-Baggins aims to bully the local Hobbits, but they’re none too keen on his designs. Explore the Yondershire, and experience some more delightful Hobbit adventures, our first expansion of the Shire in years!”
After the release of Update 33, players can look forward to content drops for the game’s Legendary progression servers. Anor will be heading to Minas Morgul and will be getting a level cap increase on April 13th, Shadowfax will be making its way to Rohan on May 4th and moving on to Gondor and Old Anorien in June, while Treebeard will be venturing into the treacherous forests of Mirkwood in the same month.
Watch out for more announcements in the weeks and days leading up to the game’s 15th anniversary. You can also head over to the Lord of the Rings Online official site for more info.
Community Manager Cordovan also talks about Update 33 and the above-mentioned changes in his latest Cord of the Rings livestream. You can check that out below.
