The Lord of the Rings Online is an online game where many players can join together to play. It is available for computers running Microsoft Windows and was also available for OS X. The game is set in the world of Middle-earth, created by J. R. R. Tolkien, and takes place during the time of The Lord of the Rings. The game was first made by Turbine and released in April 2007 in North America, Australia, Japan, and Europe. It was called The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar at launch. Players can create characters from four races and seven classes and explore the region of Eriador.
In November 2008, an expansion called The Mines of Moria was added, introducing the region of Moria and two new character classes. Another expansion, The Siege of Mirkwood, was released in December 2009. In 2010, the game changed from a model where players paid a fee regularly to a free-to-play format.
The game continued to grow, adding new areas through both paid expansions and free updates. These included the regions of Isengard, Rohan, and Gondor. In late 2016, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment handed over the game’s publishing rights to Daybreak Game Company, and development was taken over by Standing Stone Games, a team of former Turbine employees. In 2017, the Mordor expansion was released, completing the main storyline. Afterward, the game focused on events after the fall of Sauron and stories that happened before the main events, such as the Minas Morgul expansion in 2019 and the Fate of Gundabad expansion in 2021.
Gameplay
In The Lord of the Rings Online, players control a character avatar in the game world. They interact with objects, non-player characters (NPCs), and other players. Characters gain levels by earning experience points, which allow them to learn new skills and assign trait points to customize their playstyle. Players move through the game world by walking, using mounts, or using fast travel options. Characters improve by upgrading equipment and customizing their appearance with the Cosmetic System, which lets them wear armor and weapons for looks, not just combat. Characters also earn Reputation with different factions by completing tasks, which unlocks rewards like cosmetic items, weapons, and armor.
The crafting system lets each character master up to four professions, divided into gathering materials and creating items. The game emphasizes cooking and farming, inspired by Hobbits in Tolkien’s stories. Players use a Wallet to store gold, silver, and copper coins earned from activities. Some areas, events, and regions have their own unique currencies that cannot be used outside those areas. The in-game store uses LOTRO points, which can be bought with real money or earned through gameplay. Players can own personal houses that can be decorated and provide extra storage and facilities. Four free neighborhoods are available in the starter zones for Men, Dwarves, Elves, and Hobbits. Other neighborhoods with bigger houses and more decoration options are available in Gondor, Rohan, and Erebor through purchases.
Later updates added new systems. Mines of Moria introduced Legendary items that stay with players permanently. Each character has one class-specific legendary weapon and one extra item that grows stronger as the character levels up. Riders of Rohan added mounted combat, allowing players to ride war-steeds and use skills while on horseback. War-steeds have stats like player characters and can be customized with different types, traits, and stances. Players can also change the appearance of their war-steeds. Gondor introduced essence gear with empty slots that can be upgraded with special stats for customization.
The game started with four playable races: Dwarves, Elves, Hobbits, and Men. In 2014, the Beorning race was added for the Beorning class. In 2017, the High Elf race was added with the Mordor expansion. In 2019, the Stout-Axe Dwarves race was added, allowing players to choose the gender of their characters, unlike the original Dwarves.
The original seven character classes are Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-Master, and Minstrel. Mines of Moria added Rune-Keeper and Warden. A Beorning class was added in 2014, and the Brawler class was added in 2021. The Mariner class is now available to players who pre-purchased the Corsairs of Umbar expansion. All classes can specialize in one of three trait lines, which influence their skills and roles. Players can also assign Racial and Virtue traits to further customize their characters.
Players can form groups of up to six characters called "fellowships," which can combine into "raids" of four fellowships. Fellowships are needed to complete group instances, which involve fighting enemies and bosses with special mechanics that reward players. Raids are similar but allow progress to be saved across sessions. Siege of Mirkwood added "Skirmishes" with random enemy groups and encounters. Helm’s Deep introduced "Epic Battles," where players support NPCs in large-scale battles with specific objectives. Many instances can be played at different difficulty levels for better rewards.
The game is set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. It does not include areas from other Tolkien works like The Silmarillion. The world has a day–night cycle and weather effects that change daily. The game world is divided into four main areas: Eriador, Rhovanion, Gondor, and Mordor. In 2023, players could explore Umbar and Harad to protect King Elessar (Aragorn) and his wife, Arwen. The world is further divided into "Regions" and "Areas," each with NPCs and quests for specific levels. Regions are set in specific time periods during the War of the Ring, allowing characters like Gandalf or Aragorn to appear in multiple places at once if those places are from different times. Some locations, like Isengard and Minas Tirith, can be visited in different states.
The game does not have traditional Player vs. Player (PvP) combat. Instead, players can create "Monster Player" characters to fight Free People in special areas. Monster Player classes include Orc Reaver, Orc Defiler, Spider Weaver, Uruk Blackarrow, Uruk Warleader, and Warg Stalker. Monster Players cannot wear equipment but can use consumable items and customize their appearance. They can form groups called "Warbands" but must stay within PvMP areas. The first PvMP area was Ettenmoors, where players could battle Monster Players for control. A second area, the ruins of Osgiliath, was added in 2015.
Plot
The main story, called the "Epic" storyline, is divided into "Volumes." Each Volume is made up of "Books," and each Book has a series of quests called "Chapters."
The first Epic Volume begins shortly after Frodo and his friends leave the Shire. The player arrives in Bree, where they meet Aragorn and Gandalf and become involved in the larger events of Middle-Earth. At first, the player follows Aragorn and the Hobbits to Weathertop and the Trollshaws. Later, the player joins a campaign against the rising Kingdom of Angmar. Mordirith, who is the Steward of the Witch-king of Angmar, is driven away from Carn Dûm. This causes Sauron’s servants, Amarthiel and Mordrambor, to fight for Mordirith’s position. Amarthiel, a former elf-smith from Eregion, once owned a minor Ring of Power. She finds and takes back the Ring despite the player’s efforts. Mordrambor betrays Amarthiel to Mordirith and kills her father, Laerdan, to mock her. The grief allows Narmeleth, Amarthiel’s original personality, to return. To avenge her father, Narmeleth leads the player into the enemy’s fortress through secret paths. She kills Mordrambor and destroys the Ring that controlled her. She drives Mordirith away again, sacrificing her life. Her actions earn her peace in the Undying Lands.
Under King Dain Ironfoot’s orders, the Iron Garrison of dwarves from Erebor is sent to investigate and reclaim Moria. They arrive just days after Gandalf defeats Durin’s Bane, causing chaos in Moria. Using the confusion after the Balrog’s death, the dwarves claim land in Khazad-dûm and establish footholds. However, the evil in Moria unites under new leadership. The dwarves form an alliance with the Elves of Lothlórien but face an emissary from Sauron at Dol Guldur. This story ends in the Siege of Mirkwood expansion, where the Galadhrim attack Dol Guldur to distract Sauron’s forces as the Fellowship leaves Lothlórien.
The player joins the Grey Company led by Halbarad and the Sons of Elrond, who ride south to help Aragorn in Rohan. The Rangers of the North face dangers, losing men in Enedwaith and suffering a betrayal in Dunland. Saruman’s forces block their path across the Fords of Isen. While the Rangers recover, Lady Galadriel calls the player to Lothlórien and urges them to follow the Fellowship down the Anduin River. With a companion from Dunland, an elf from Lothlórien, and a man from Rohan, the player tracks the Fellowship to the Falls of Rauros. They then join the Three Hunters in Rohan, becoming involved in local rulers’ affairs. The player fights in the Battle of Helm’s Deep and later accompanies King Théoden to confront Saruman at Orthanc, where they finally meet Aragorn.
After the Grey Company enters the Paths of the Dead, the player follows them to Gondor, which is under attack by the Corsairs of Umbar. The player stops at Dol Amroth, joins Aragorn’s forces, and fights in the Battle of Pelargir. Aragorn sends the player to find Faramir or Gandalf in Minas Tirith while his men sail up the Anduin. Unable to pass the enemy blockade at Harlond, the player takes a detour through Ithilien and reaches the besieged Osgiliath. They escape with Ithilien Rangers and arrive in Minas Tirith just as Faramir is wounded by a Morgul dart. The player helps Gandalf prepare the city for a siege and is sent to find King Théoden’s forces. They reunite with the Riders of Rohan in the Drúedain forest and fight in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. They then join the Host of the West, marching into Dagorlad for the Battle of the Black Gates, where they witness the One Ring destroyed and Sauron’s forces defeated.
The Free Peoples of Middle-Earth explore Mordor, which has been closed for over a thousand years. Assisting Gandalf, the player learns about the Gúrzyul—powerful servants of the Enemy who survived Sauron’s defeat and still threaten Middle-Earth. One Gúrzyul, Karazgar the Weeping Warrior, has escaped into the north. The player and Gandalf chase Karazgar through Dol Guldur, to King Thranduil’s halls, and to the Kingdom Under the Mountain, now ruled by Thorin III. On an errand for Thorin III in the Iron Hills, the player finds a Black Book from Mordor and delivers it to Gandalf. Karazgar’s forces attack Erebor but are repelled. A group of dwarves departs to reclaim their strongholds in Ered Mithrin, believing them safe after Sauron’s fall. They fight Karazgar until Gandalf reveals his weakness and learns Karazgar wants the Black Book. Gandalf leaves to retrieve the book from Karazgar. An encounter in the Gladden Fields sends Gandalf and the player back to Mordor as Gondor’s forces advance on Minas Morgul. The player joins Faramir’s White Company and, with Gandalf and the Rangers, defeats Gothmog, lieutenant of Morgul and second-in-command to the Witch-king of Angmar.
Encouraged by success in the Grey Mountains, Prince Durin, son of King Thorin III, wants to reclaim the dwarven stronghold of Gundabad. His Longbeards are joined by dwarves from another clan in the East, who also claim Gundabad. Reinforced by dwarves from Erebor and the Iron Garrison, they fight Orcs in Gundabad. They win a small battle but learn that Orcs are not their biggest threat: a Frost-Dragon and her brood, along with Hobgoblins, have taken over Gundabad. Inside the mountain, the dwarves find survivors of Angmar involved in the conflict. Deep beneath Gundabad, Durin has a vision that reveals him as Durin the Seventh, the forefather of the dwarves. His ancient knowledge helps the dwarves defeat their enemies by making them fight each other. The Angmarim ally with Hobgoblins against Orcs but are betrayed. The death of Bolg’s son throws Orcs and Hobgoblins into chaos. Eventually, the dragon is defeated, allowing the dwarves to reclaim Gundabad and unite for a common goal.
King Elessar travels with Queen Arwen through G
Development and release
In 1998, Sierra On-Line announced plans to create a Middle-earth MMORPG based on a license. Sierra faced financial problems in 1999 and replaced the team working on the game. The company continued to confirm the game's development but did not share details about its progress. In 2001, Vivendi Universal Games, which owned Sierra, secured the rights to make computer and video games based on The Lord of the Rings books for eight years. In 2003, Vivendi signed a deal with Turbine to develop Middle-earth Online, which was expected to launch in 2004. In March 2005, Turbine announced it had bought the rights to make a MMORPG based on Tolkien’s books and would publish The Lord of the Rings Online instead of Vivendi. In February 2006, Midway Games agreed to co-publish the game with Turbine. A closed beta was announced on September 8, 2006. An open beta began on March 30, 2007, and was available only to players who pre-ordered the game’s Founders Club edition. On April 6, 2007, the beta opened to the public.
In April 2007, Salon.com reported that the game removed a planned feature for in-game player marriage due to controversy about same-sex and inter-species weddings. A developer explained that weddings were allowed only if examples existed in Tolkien’s books, such as between elves and humans. GayGamer.net, an online magazine for gay gamers, noted that while Tolkien was a devout Christian, his views on gay rights are unknown because the topic was not widely discussed during his time. Video game critic Ian Bogost compared this decision to The Sims 2, which allowed same-sex marriage three years earlier.
In January 2014, Turbine and Middle-earth Enterprises renewed the license for The Lord of the Rings Online through 2017. In 2015, Aaron Campbell, the executive producer, moved to other responsibilities, and Athena Peters, the Dungeons and Dragons Online franchise director, took over. Peters shared a new plan for the game, including improvements to the legendary item system, new fellowship quests, and fixes to improve gameplay. Server merges and new datacenters were also planned for the summer of 2015. On December 19, 2016, Turbine announced it would no longer develop the game. Instead, a new independent studio, Standing Stone Games, was created to continue the project. The game’s publishing rights moved from Warner Brothers to Daybreak Game Company. No reason was given for the change, but the game would continue with new development.
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game received a special offer: a lifetime subscription for $199 or a reduced monthly cost of $9.99. The standard monthly fee is $14.99, with discounts for three-, six-, and twelve-month subscriptions. Similar offers were available in Europe through Codemasters. A holiday subscription for $9.99/month was available in December 2007 and January 2008 for a three-month commitment. A special edition, priced $10 higher than the regular version, included a full-color manual, a unique item called “Glass of Aglaral,” a visually different cloak of regeneration, a “Making of” DVD, a soundtrack, and a ten-day buddy key. The one-year anniversary edition offered a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 lifetime subscription, which was later available again before the release of Mines of Moria. However, the lifetime subscription option is no longer available.
On June 4, 2010, the game added a free-to-play option with an in-game store. Free-to-play launched in North America on September 10, 2010, and in Europe on November 2, 2010. Within six months, the company reported tripled revenues from the game. In April 2011, Codemasters handed back control of the European service to Turbine, and servers were transferred on June 1. After a short transition period, the service became unified globally. On June 6, 2012, the game was made available for download on Steam. A beta version for OS X was released on November 1, 2012, and a 64-bit client was added in June 2019. On April 20, 2022, the 32-bit client was scheduled to end on January 1, 2023. To celebrate the game’s 15th anniversary, all expansions and quest packs up to Helm’s Deep were made permanently free. Subscribers also received access to Standard Editions of the Mordor, Minas Morgul, and War of Three Peaks expansions during their subscription. On August 25, 2022, OS X support was discontinued.
The game includes original music, with specific themes for regions and instances. Most music was composed by Chance Thomas or in-house composers like Stephen DiGregorio, Geoff Scott, Brad Spears, Egan Budd, Matt Harwood, and Bill Champagne. Thomas explained that he used descriptions of music in Tolkien’s books to figure out the instruments and styles each race might use. In the first two years, Thomas and DiGregorio each created about half of the music, which was released on a soundtrack CD with the 2007 Shadows of Angmar Special Edition or the 2008 Mines of Moria expansion. Sixty-one songs were also made available for free through Turbine’s download manager. Their collaboration continued on the Mines of Moria soundtrack, released as a CD with the Collector’s Edition.
The Siege of Mirkwood and Rise of Isengard expansions did not have official soundtrack releases. No music added between 2009 and 2012 was officially released until the Riders of Rohan expansion, for which Chance Thomas returned to work on the game. A soundtrack was released on CD and as a digital download. Music for the Helm’s Deep expansion was entirely composed by Stephen DiGregorio and released on SoundCloud. Music added between 2013 and 2017 was not officially released. In 2017, Chance Thomas returned to contribute
Reception
The Lord of the Rings Online received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.
GameDaily gave the game a score of 9/10, highlighting its detailed fantasy world, well-designed character and title system, and a story that follows J.R.R. Tolkien’s works. Yahoo! Video Games mentioned few negative points and awarded it 4/5. Computer and Video Games called it a must-buy for fans of The Lord of the Rings, giving it a 9.2/10. Eurogamer scored it 9.0/10, saying it is hard to resist. GameSpy gave it 4.5/5 stars, noting that the game made Middle-Earth accessible to many players but criticized its weak player-versus-player content. GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10, praising its creative changes to the MMO genre. IGN gave it 8.6/10, calling it a solid experience but pointing out it did not make major improvements to the genre. The New York Times described the game as "a major achievement in interactive storytelling," stating it is the first game worthy of the Lord of the Rings franchise and a must-play for Tolkien fans and those interested in online entertainment. GameSpot awarded it 8.3/10, praising its polished design and unique Monster Play feature. GamePro gave it 4.25/5, noting how engaging the quests are and how closely the game follows Tolkien’s novels.
GameSpy named The Lord of the Rings Online "Game of the Month" for May 2007. Midway reported that the game sold over 172,000 copies in North America during its second quarter.
In August 2007, Codemasters announced that the game received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for its categories. In October 2007, it won the "PC Game of the Year" award at these events. It won the same award again in October 2008.
In 2007, GameSpy ranked The Lord of the Rings Online 6th in its list of the top ten PC games of the year. Turbine also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.
At the 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, The Lord of the Rings Online was nominated for "Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year" by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.
In 2010, RPGFan’s Adam Tingle named The Lord of the Rings Online the best MMORPG of all time in a top-10 countdown. RPGLand gave it its "Best Free-to-Play MMORPG" annual award. That year, the NPD Group reported that the game was "the third most played massively multiplayer role-playing game," with Turbine citing its free-to-play model as the reason for its growing player base.
In January 2011, PC Gamer named The Lord of the Rings Online the best MMO of the year. The review praised the addition of two new Epic Books’ worth of quests, two new regions, expanded in-game events, improved user interface features, and a redesigned character creation and starter regions system. The review also noted the success of the free-to-play model, stating that the game is "quickly redefining how a subscriptionless MMO can be run."
In both 2018 and 2019, the gaming blog Massively (formerly Joystiq) named The Lord of the Rings Online the "Most Underrated MMORPG of the Year," praising its expansions, updates, large and varied world, strong storytelling, and a friendly and active community.