For those of you that haven’t yet heard, the brilliant Lord of the Rings Online is to go Free-to-Play in the UK from the end of the month. The basic game is downloadable for free with the standard 50 level cap, and all 4 races and 7 classes playable. No subscription, no credit card needed.
If you want the expansion packs (which raises the level cap to 60, add some more classes, and more bits of middle earth), you can buy them from the online store using game points, or even cooler, earn points in game, meaning you never have to pay for anything!
Also, if you are a lifetime member (like me) and are thinking this has screwed you, don’t worry. Along with more character slots, more bag space, and the highest priority login, you’ll get 500 points a month to spend in the store, as well as being able to earn points in game. You could actually just save up your points, and never have to pay for an expansion pack again!
All in all, the folk at Turbine seem to have thought this through pretty well. Be interesting to see how it plays out. But really, if your into MMOs and haven’t picked up LotRO yet, i’d urge you to give it a try. It’s a great game, with some really friendly players. Plus it looks stunning, and there are hobbits with pies! All for free! What more could you ask for! ;)
