Lord of the Rings Online goes Free to Play
Turbine announced Friday that Lord of the Rings Online is going the way of the free-to-play model. This model met with great success when Dungeons and Dragons Online was similarly converted after experiencing a shaky start. The new free-to-play model will undergo a Beta test process to make sure that they work the kinks out but once that is done, the game will be open to the public (sign up for the beta here). Of course there will be certain benefits if you choose to pay for your game experience which would not be available otherwise to the free players.
It is interesting to see more and more games heading in this direction, Sony’s family friendly title Free Realms and Wizard 101 to name a couple other popular favorites. Is this truly the model for future MMOs? I believe so since it leaves the previously untapped revenue stream of in game virtual item/perks sales in the hands of the developer instead of the various gold farmers and third parties out there that have been cashing in on this MMO cash cow.
Here is quick excerpt describing the changeover:
“Free-to-Play opens up more choices and options so you can play your way. When LOTRO Free-to-Play is available, you can download the game for free and start playing without a subscription or even a credit card.
Anyone can join the game for free as a Free player when LOTRO Free-to-Play is available. You will automatically be upgraded from Free player to Premium player status with your first purchase of Turbine Points in the LOTRO Store.
And for a monthly fee, LOTRO’s VIP program offers the best value and the most options for players who like the convenience of having unlimited access to all of LOTRO’s game content and features. If you are already a subscriber, just maintain your active subscription to be automatically upgraded to VIP!”
Here is a gallery with screenshots from this MMO.
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