Walking in the footsteps of Dungeons and Dragons Online, Turbine’s other MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online is adopting a new free-to-play business model. Personally, I don’t know if this is good news or bad news, as I was hooked on the game for months when it first launched and only gave it up because I couldn’t keep up with the monthly subscription. It’s definitely my favorite MMORPG since the original EverQuest (WoW just doesn’t do it for me at all).

Now that it’s going to be free, I’m afraid I’ll get addicted all over again!

The Lord of the Rings Online‘s free-to-play model will function similarly to other free-to-play MMOs.

At the base level, you’ll be able to download and play the game for free all the way up to the level cap of 50, but will also have limitations on character slots, gold capacity, chat and auction features, and so on.

Upon your first purchase of Turbine Points to use to buy premium items (expansion packs, additional character slots, etc.) from the integrated LOTRO Store, you will be upgraded to the status of a Premium Player and have some of the free player limitations lifted. Also, if you’ve played the game before and log back in with your old account, you will automatically earn status as a Premium Player.

Finally, if you choose to pay the $15 monthly subscription fee or maintain your subscription cycle if you are a current player, you will be treated as a VIP member without any feature limitations. Additionally, you will be allotted 500 Turbine Points every month to use in the in-game store.

This major free-to-play update will launch this fall across North America and Europe. Turbine will also be hosting a beta test for the new model on June 16th. Beta registration, an FAQ on the free-to-play model and a chart outlining the available features for each tier can be found here.

“Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is bringing quality games based on The Lord of the Rings to multiple platforms, and the franchise’s expansive adventure story lends itself perfectly for LOTRO free-to-play, giving a wide range of players the opportunity to experience the game,” said Jeff Junge, Senior Vice President Online Games and Digital Games Platforms, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “We are focused on expanding our game franchises onto new digital platforms to maximize quality experiences for gamers worldwide and LOTRO’s new model is a great leading example of this.”

“Turbine’s Dungeons and Dragons Online®: Eberron Unlimited was the world’s first truly premium free-to-play online game that ushered in a new era of choice for online gamers seeking quality entertainment,” said Jim Crowley, President and CEO of Turbine. “The popularity of DDO validated the extraordinary demand by gamers for quality entertainment they can experience at their own pace and within their budget. Extending free-to-play to LOTRO will offer another premium game to a broad spectrum of fans.”

“Having successfully taken two titles free-to-play in the past we are very pleased to be doing the same with The Lord of the Rings Online in Europe,” said David Solari, Vice President and General Manager of Codemasters Online. “It’s a fantastic, award-winning game with a wonderfully realized world and this step will only broaden its appeal and increase its player base.”

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After teaming up with Midway for the release of The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar last year, Turbine has now partnered up with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to get the first true LOTRO expansion, Mines of Moria, distributed throughout the North American retail market. With the new distribution help from WB, Turbine will launch Mines of Moria this fall in three different forms: a downloadable Digital Expansion version for existing subscribers, a Complete Edition (pictured above) containing the new expansion, the original Shadows of Angmar game and all book updates that have been released to date, and a Collector’s Edition containing the Complete Edition content with a load of extras, including three tokens exchangeable for eight in-game items, a cloth map of Moria, a gold-plated ring with accompanying chain and pouch, a poster, The Lord of the Rings Online Art and Music Collection, the Mines of Moria soundtrack and a Collector’s Edition Starter Guide all wrapped up in leather-bound book packaging. Release date, pricing details and imagery of the Collector’s Edition are still to come.

In continued celebration of The Lord of the Rings Online‘s first anniversary, Turbine is now offering former North American subscribers a chance to log back in and rekindle their love for virtual Middle-earth exploration over a free weekend of play. Between now and Monday, May 12th, all past players are invited to partake in the “Welcome Back Weekend” event and jump right back into their old characters and experience how the game has evolved over its first year in existence. I so wish I could keep up with playing this game, as it’s the best MMORPG ever in my opinion and one of my favorite games in general, but I just don’t have the time to sink into MMO’s on a consistent basis these days.

To celebrate the 1st anniversary of The Lord of the Rings Online (the best MMORPG ever, in my opinion), Turbine has announced a slew of special promotions and game features to treat online Middle-earth adventurers to. The headliner is clearly today’s North American launch of Book 13: Doom of the Last-king, the fifth free game update that introduces a new region, faction, Monster Play class, Hobby System, and over 100 quests alongside the continuation of the game’s epic storyline. Below you’ll find screenshots and a detailed list of the new features.

Book 13: Doom of the Last-king Content:

Ø New Region – In the far, frozen north of Eriador lies Forochel, a land unlike any other in Middle-earth. This new region lets players see the ocean for the first time and introduces several new temperature based landscape effects. Players will need to be mindful of the cold due to a new damage type – frost. Frost will slowly damage their character until they find a source of warmth in the form of shelter or a campfire.

Ø New Faction – Beneath the brooding skies of Forochel dwell the hardy tribes known as the Lossoth. Suspicious of outsiders, they have long warred against other folk – especially the Guaredain, bloodthirsty wolf-loving barbarians in league with the forces of Angmar. Players can earn favor with the Lossoth by helping them in the struggle against their ancient enemy in this latest addition to The Lord of the Rings Online’s (LOTRO) reputation system. Lossoth reputation rewards include unique armor sets, weapons, a new mount, housing decorations, and class specific items

Ø Introducing the Defiler — The first new class for Monster Players debuts in Book 13. The Defiler is a healer that will round out any War Band in their quest to dominate the Ettenmoors. The Defiler uses new healing skills such as Fertile Slime and Fungal Bloom to aid its party in battle and has a host of new Debuff skills including Curse of the Lethargic Heart to defeat their enemies.

Ø The Hobby System — The player hobby system is introduced in Book 13. Fishing is the first hobby being introduced in LOTRO. From the Midgewater Marshes to the Shores of Evendim, players will find fishing to be a relaxing, entertaining and beneficial pastime. Players can earn deeds and traits as they improve their fishing prowess and captured fish can be used to cook in recipes or be mounted as trophies in a player’s house.

Ø The Epic Continues! — At Elrond’s urging, players venture into the frozen wastes of the north to continue Laerdan’s search for the remnants of the ring Narchuil. Aided by the Snowmen of Forochel, players will uncover the fate of an ancestor of Aragorn and strive to thwart the terrible aims of Angmar.

Ø Over 100 New Quests — The story continues for players as they aid the Fellowship and encounter new adventures in Middle-earth.

Accompanying Book 13’s launch, Turbine has a number of anniversary promotions lined up too. Beginning May 8th, former subscribers will have the opportunity to return to their adventuring and sample the latest game content for a free five-day trial. For a limited time (until May 31st to be exact), North American gamers will have two new pricing plans to choose from, including the return of the $199 lifetime membership subscription or a reduced $9.99 monthly rate on any of the current multi-month subscription plans. And finally, between now and June 2nd mobs throughout the game will drop rare tokens that can be exchanged for various in-game items.

Happy Anniversary Lord of the Rings Online!

Turbine and Codemasters have today announced the official release plans for the first free game update to The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, the hit new MMORPG that has taken North America and Europe by storm.

Entitled “Book 9: Shores of Evendim”, Lord of the Rings Online‘s first free update will go live on June 13th, and with it will come a ton of killer new content, including the Evendim region north of the Shire, over 100 new quests, a 24-player Battle for Helegrod raid against the dragon Thorog, seven new sets of epic armor, nine new monsters to slay and enhancements to the music and monster play systems. In the update players will also be able to continue the game’s epic storyline, aiding Aragorn on his quest to re-forge Narsil, the Sword of Elendil, as the fellowship prepares to depart from Rivendell.

“The Lord of the Rings Online has taken the world by storm and we’re thrilled with the community’s response to the game,” said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. “Shores of Evendim offers an enormous amount of content that delivers even more value to our subscribers.”

“We are ecstatic to unveil the first in a long line of planned free updates to The Lord of the Rings Online,” commented David Solari, Vice President and General lManager of Codemasters Online Gaming. “In just over six weeks, thousands of players have already experienced the world of Midde-earth.”

Lord of the Rings Online is already brilliant, and the Shores of Evendim is only going to make it that much better. I’m still working my way through everything the game has to offer, but I’m getting there so watch for a full review very soon.