Early this morning I awoke to the news that Lord of the Rings was going “Free to Play”. As grandmother used to say I was so shocked I dropped my handful of mashed potatoes.
Julie: OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG
Turbine: Calm down
Julie: But I’m a lifetime subscriber this will change everything!!
Turbine: No it won’t read this:
“For our LOTRO VIPs the game will not change, except there will be more players around to group with, and there will be the ability to use the new LOTRO Store, which is completely optional for all players and gives access to hundreds of convenience, cosmetic and consumable items!” – Kate Paiz, Executive Producer, Lord of the Rings Online
“As a lifetimer, you entered into an agreement that you would never pay another subscription fee with us again. You still won’t. For you, nothing has changed. You will not be billed a subscription, your status and access to the game will not change. You will be getting an additional benefit, however, in the form of Turbine points.” – Sapience Online Community Specialist, Lord of the Rings Online (
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 points and enjoy the wealth of new a la carte items and options to enhance your game experience.
Julie: (a bit calmer now) But, not only was I a Lord of the Rings Lifetime subscriber I was there from the start. What happens with that?
Turbine: 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 like the other VIPs, and you can spend the Turbine Points at your leisure in the LOTRO Store to enhance your game experience and keep playing the way you want.
Julie: (more excited) THIS IS THE END…THAT’S IT THE SERVER MERGES START NOW!!!
Turbine: There won’t be a server merge, and there won’t be separate free-to-play only servers. All the servers will remain as they are, and the new population will pick from them just as you once did.
Julie: This means a cash shop. What good will it be to raid and work toward epic gear now if you can just BUY it? Won’t the new players just be able to buy their epic/raid loot?
Turbine: NO. Quote from the FAQ: “While items in the Store are designed to immediately enhance your in-game experience, premium loot and rare gear are the rewards of adventure and are only obtainable through gameplay.”
Julie: (looks down list of VIP benefits) So just what the heck are these “premium classes” – you are trying to squeeze more money out of me aren’t you.
Turbine: Warden and Rune-keeper. Players who did not purchase Moria and want to play these classes from the start can purchase them separately.
Julie: So after all this, and the new income it will bring will there at least be more lands to play in when it goes live this fall with Volume 3, book 2?
Turbine: YES! Enedwaith is on the way: “We’ve revamped the game’s starting areas, added the new region of Enedwaith, and will continue the journey of the Rangers south in Book 2 of our epic story.”
Julie: So I get the “premium class” for free since I already bought the Mines of Moria Expansion. I will just bet there is a drawback.
Turbine: Well there is one…you have to actually log in to the game once a month, and we mean JUST log in. Read this:
“Logging in and playing the game at least once a month between now and launch is all you need to do to get the bonus 500 points per month. Your 30 minutes every few days would absolutely qualify.” Sapience Online Community Specialist, Lord of the Rings Online Source: http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=335144
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