The Lord of the Rings Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for Microsoft Windows and earlier for OS X. It is set in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth and takes place during the time of The Lord of the Rings. Originally created by Turbine, the game was first released in April 2007 in North America, Australia, Japan, and Europe under the name The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. Players could create characters from four races and seven classes and explore the region of Eriador. In November 2008, the Mines of Moria expansion was added, introducing the region of Moria and two new character classes. This was followed by the Siege of Mirkwood expansion in December 2009. In 2010, the game changed from a subscription-based model to a free-to-play format.
The game continued to develop, sometimes offering paid expansions and sometimes free updates, which added new content in the regions of Isengard, Rohan, and Gondor. In late 2016, the publishing rights were transferred from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to Daybreak Game Company, with development taken over by Standing Stone Games, which included former Turbine employees. In 2017, the Mordor expansion was released, ending the main storyline. Afterward, the game focused on showing the events following Sauron’s defeat and telling the "Tales of Yore," which happened before the main story. The Minas Morgul expansion was released in 2019, and the Fate of Gundabad expansion was released in 2021.
Gameplay
In The Lord of the Rings Online, players control a character avatar in the game world, interacting with objects, other players, and non-player characters (NPCs). Characters earn levels by collecting experience points, gaining new skills and trait points that can be used to customize their playstyle. Players can move through the game world by walking, riding mounts, or using fast travel options. Characters improve by upgrading equipment and customizing their appearance with the Cosmetic System, which allows them to wear armor and weapons for looks rather than combat. Characters also earn Reputation with different factions, completing tasks that unlock rewards like cosmetic items, weapons, and armor.
The crafting system lets each character learn up to four professions, divided into gathering materials and creating items. Inspired by Tolkien’s The Hobbit, the game emphasizes cooking and farming. Players use a Wallet to store gold, silver, and copper coins earned from activities. Some areas have unique currencies that can only be used there. The in-game store uses LOTRO points, which can be bought with real money or earned in-game. Players can own personal houses, decorate them, and access extra storage. Four free neighborhoods for Men, Dwarves, Elves, and Hobbits are located in starter zones. Other neighborhoods with larger homes 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 throughout the game. Each character has one class-specific legendary weapon and one extra item that grow stronger as the character levels up. Riders of Rohan added mounted combat with war-steeds, which have stats like player characters and can be customized. Players can change the appearance of war-steeds by mixing traits. Gondor introduced essence gear with slots that can be upgraded to improve armor.
The game started with four 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 were added, allowing players to choose character gender, unlike the original Dwarves.
The original seven classes are Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, and Minstrel. Mines of Moria added Rune-Keeper and Warden. The Beorning class was added in 2014, followed by the Brawler class in 2021. The Mariner class became available with the Corsairs of Umbar expansion. All classes can specialize in one of three trait lines. Racial and Virtue traits also affect class performance.
Players can form groups of up to six characters in "fellowships," which can join "raids" of up to four fellowships. Fellowships are needed to complete group instances, which have enemies and boss fights with rewards. Raids allow progress to be saved across sessions. "Skirmishes" from Siege of Mirkwood include random enemy groups and special encounters. "Epic Battles" from Helm’s Deep are large battles where players help NPCs complete 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 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 Eriador, Rhovanion, Gondor, and Mordor. In 2023, players could explore Umbar and Harad to protect King Elessar (Aragorn) and Arwen. The world is further split into "Regions" and "Areas," each with NPCs and quests for specific levels. Regions are set in specific times during the War of the Ring, allowing characters like Gandalf or Aragorn to appear in multiple places at once. Some locations, like Isengard and Minas Tirith, can be visited in different states.
Unlike other games, The Lord of the Rings Online does not have classic Player vs. Player (PvP) combat. Instead, it has Player vs. Monster Player (PvMP), where players 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 gain levels by earning Infamy Ranks through killing Free People. They cannot wear equipment but can use consumable items and customize appearance. They can form groups called "Warbands" but must stay in PvMP areas. The first PvMP area was Ettenmoors, and a second was added in Osgiliath in 2015.
Plot
The main story, called the "Epic" storyline, is divided into "Volumes." Each Volume is made up of "Books," and each Book contains 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 events affecting Middle-Earth. At first, the player follows Aragorn and the Hobbits to Weathertop and the Trollshaws. Later, the player joins a military effort against the rising Kingdom of Angmar. Mordirith, a leader of Angmar, is forced to leave Carn Dûm. This causes Sauron’s servants, Amarthiel and Mordrambor, to compete for Mordirith’s position. Amarthiel, a former elf-smith, finds and reclaims a small Ring of Power despite the player’s attempts to stop her. Mordrambor betrays Amarthiel, kills her father, and mocks her. This grief allows Narmeleth, Amarthiel’s original personality, to return. Narmeleth leads the player into the enemy’s fortress, kills Mordrambor, and destroys the Ring that controlled her. She drives Mordirith away again but dies in the process. Her actions earn her peace in the Undying Lands.
Under King Dain Ironfoot’s orders, a group of dwarves from Erebor is sent to investigate and possibly reclaim Moria. By chance, they arrive days after Gandalf defeats Durin’s Bane and causes chaos in Moria. Using the lack of strong leadership after the Balrog’s death, the dwarves take control of parts of Khazad-dûm. However, the evil forces in Moria unite under new leadership. The dwarves form an alliance with the Elves of Lothlórien but face an emissary of Sauron from 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 travel south to help Aragorn in Rohan. The Rangers of the North face dangers, losing men in Enedwaith and suffering 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, where they become involved in local matters. The player fights in the Battle of Helm’s Deep and later accompanies King Théoden to confront Saruman at Orthanc, where the Rangers 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. After stopping at Dol Amroth, the player 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. The player reunites with the Riders of Rohan in the Drúedain forest and fights in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. They then join the Host of the West, marching into Dagorlad, and fight at the Battle of the Black Gates, where the One Ring is destroyed and Sauron’s forces are defeated.
The Free Peoples of Middle-Earth explore Mordor, which had been closed to them for over a thousand years. With Gandalf’s help, the player learns about the Gúrzyul, powerful servants of the Enemy who survived Sauron’s defeat. One Gúrzyul, Karazgar the Weeping Warrior, has escaped to the north. The player and Gandalf chase Karazgar through Dol Guldur, into the halls of King Thranduil, 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 leaves to reclaim their ancient strongholds in Ered Mithrin, believing them safe after Sauron’s fall. They fight Karazgar until Gandalf reveals his weakness and learns that Karazgar wants the Black Book. Gandalf goes to the Beornings to protect the book. 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.
Encouraged by success in the Grey Mountains, Prince Durin, son of 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. Supported by reinforcements from Erebor and the Iron Garrison, the dwarves fight Orcs in Gundabad. They win a small battle but learn that Orcs are not their biggest threat: Gundabad is now ruled by a Frost-Dragon and her Hobgoblin servants. Inside the mountain, the dwarves find survivors of Angmar involved in the conflict. Deep beneath Gundabad, Durin remembers past lives and recognizes himself as Durin the Seventh, the ancestor of the dwarves. His ancient knowledge helps the dwarves defeat enemies by turning them against each other. The Angmarim ally with Hobgoblins against Orcs but are betrayed by their leader. The death of the Son of Bolg causes chaos among Orcs and Hobgoblins. Eventually, the dragon is defeated, and the dwarves reclaim Gundabad and unite for a common goal.
King Elessar travels through Gondor with Queen Arwen to heal the land after the War of the Ring. Meanwhile, multiple groups fight for control of Umbar across the Bay of Belfalas. These groups, including the Kindred of the Coins, the Heirs of Castamir, and the Church of the All-seeing, threaten the peace in the region.
Development and release
In 1998, Sierra On-Line announced plans to create a video game based on the Middle-earth stories from The Lord of the Rings. However, in 1999, Sierra faced financial problems and replaced the team working on the game. Despite this, Sierra continued to say the game was still in development but did not share details about it. In 2001, Vivendi Universal Games, which owned Sierra, received the rights to make games based on The Lord of the Rings books for eight years. In 2003, Vivendi agreed with Turbine to create 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 stories 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 test began on September 8, 2006. An open beta test started on March 30, 2007, for those who pre-ordered the Founders Club edition. On April 6, 2007, the beta test opened to the public.
In April 2007, Salon.com reported that the game would not include in-game player marriage because of concerns about same-sex and inter-species weddings. A developer said the game would only allow weddings if examples of such unions existed in Tolkien’s books, like between elves and humans. GayGamer.net noted that while Tolkien was a devout Christian, his views on gay rights were not known, as the topic was not discussed publicly 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 duties, and Athena Peters, the franchise director for Dungeons and Dragons Online, took over. Peters shared plans to improve the game, including updates to the legendary item system, new quests, and fixes to make the game easier to use. In 2015, server merges and new data centers were also planned. On December 19, 2016, Turbine announced it would no longer develop the game. Instead, a new independent studio called Standing Stone Games was formed, staffed by former Turbine employees. The game’s publishing rights moved from Warner Brothers to Daybreak Game Company. No reason was given for the change, but it was confirmed the game would continue to develop.
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 longer subscriptions. Similar programs were available in Europe through Codemasters. A holiday subscription was offered in December 2007 and January 2008 for $9.99 per month for three months. A special edition of the game, which cost $10 more than the regular version, included a full-color manual, a unique item called "Glass of Aglaral," a visually different cloak, a "Making of" DVD, a soundtrack, and a ten-day buddy key. The one-year anniversary edition included a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 lifetime subscription, which was later offered again before the Mines of Moria expansion. 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. Revenues from the game tripled in the following six months. In April 2011, Codemasters handed over European service back to Turbine, and servers were transferred on June 1. After a short transition, the game became a global service. On June 6, 2012, the game was available on Steam. In November 2012, a beta version of the OS X version was released, and a 64-bit client was added in June 2019. On April 20, 2022, support for the 32-bit version 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 free. Paying subscribers also received access to Standard Editions of Mordor, Minas Morgul, and War of Three Peaks expansions during their subscriptions. On August 25, 2022, OS X support was discontinued.
The game includes original music, with each region and instance having unique themes. Most of the music was composed by Chance Thomas or in-house composers like Stephen DiGregorio, Geoff Scott, and others. Thomas used descriptions of music in Tolkien’s books to create the game’s score. In the first two years, Thomas and DiGregorio each composed about half of the music, which was released as a soundtrack CD with the 2007 Shadows of Angmar special edition and the 2008 Mines of Moria expansion. They also released 61 songs for free in MP3 format. Their collaboration continued with the Mines of Moria soundtrack.
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, when Chance Thomas returned to work on the game. The Helm’s Deep expansion was fully composed by Stephen DiGregorio and released on SoundCloud. Music added between 2013 and 2017 was not officially released. In 2017, Chance Thomas returned to compose the Mordor expansion soundtrack and a 10th Anniversary collection. After Mordor, all music was composed by Bill Champagne, with full soundtracks for updates and expansions released on the game’s YouTube channel. The game’s soundtrack has received praise for
Reception
The Lord of the Rings Online received "generally favorable" reviews, according to the review website Metacritic.
GameDaily gave the game a 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 gave it a 4/5 score. Computer and Video Games called it an essential purchase 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 awarded 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 gave it 8.5/10, praising its creative changes to the MMO genre. IGN scored 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," calling it the first game truly worthy of the Lord of the Rings franchise and a must-play for fans of Tolkien or online entertainment. GameSpot gave it an 8.3/10, praising its polished design and interesting Monster Play feature. GamePro awarded it 4.25/5, noting the engaging quests and the game’s faithfulness to 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 the game received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for five 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 among the top 10 PC games of the year. Turbine also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.
During 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 list. RPGLand gave it its "Best Free-to-Play MMORPG" annual award. That year, the NPD Group reported the game was "the third most played massively multiplayer role-playing game," with Turbine stating the free-to-play model helped increase its player base.
In January 2011, PC Gamer named The Lord of the Rings Online the best MMO of the year. It was praised for adding two new Epic Books’ worth of quests, two new regions, expanded in-game events, improved user interface elements, and updated character creation and starter areas. The move to a free-to-play model was also noted as a success, with the game being described as "quickly redefining how a successful subscription-free MMO is 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, dedicated community.