The Lord of the Rings Online is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) set in Tolkien's Middle-Earth, originally developed by Turbine, Inc.
It is available in multiple languages in virtually every country of the world. English, French and German language support is found in the game client for players in North America and Europe. Release and patch notes as well as Forums are also available in those languages.
The game is frequently called "LOTRO" for short and is usually designated as an "MMOG" rather than the longer "MMORPG."
Game launch and history of major releases
- This list only includes the big updates. For all the patches, see List of Patches.
- For all the zones added per level, see Zones by level.
| Update |
Name of the update |
Date of the update |
Expansion |
New region(s)
|
| Note 01 |
Shadows of Angmar |
24 April
2007 |
Official Launch |
Level 50 |
(SoA) |
The Ered Luin, The Shire, Bree-land, The Lone-lands, The North Downs,
The Trollshaws, The Misty Mountains, Angmar, The Ettenmoors
|
| Note 02 |
Shores of Evendim |
13 June
2007 |
|
|
|
Evendim
|
| Note 03 |
The City of Kings |
17 August
2007 |
|
|
|
Annúminas
|
| Note 04 |
Defenders of Eriador |
25 October
2007 |
|
|
|
Tâl Bruinen, The Northern High Pass, The Southern High Pass, Goblin-town
|
| Note 05 |
The Ashen Wastes |
13 February
2008 |
|
|
|
|
| Note 06 |
Doom of the Last-king |
24 April
2008 |
|
|
|
Forochel
|
| Note 07 |
The Ring-forges of Eregion |
22 July
2008 |
|
|
|
Eregion
|
| Note 08 |
Mines of Moria |
18 November
2008 |
First Major Expansion |
Level 60 |
(MoM) |
Moria, The Dimrill Dale
|
| Note 09 |
The Leaves of Lórien |
27 February
2009 |
|
|
|
Lothlórien
|
| Note 10 |
Scourge of Khazad-dûm |
10 September
2009 |
|
|
|
|
| Note 11 |
Siege of Mirkwood |
01 December
2009 |
Second Major Expansion |
Level 65 |
(SoM) |
Southern Mirkwood
|
| Note 12 |
The Ride of the Grey Company |
05 July
2010 |
|
|
|
Enedwaith
|
| Update 01 |
Journey to Winter-home |
10 September
2010 |
First Free-To-Play Update |
|
|
Frostbluff
|
| Update 02 |
Echoes of The Dead |
18 March
2011 |
|
|
|
|
| Update 03 |
Lost Legends of Eriador |
05 May
2011 |
|
|
|
|
| Update 04 |
Rise of Isengard |
26 September
2011 |
Third Major Expansion |
Level 75 |
(RoI) |
Dunland, The Gap of Rohan, Nan Curunír
|
| Update 05 |
Armies of Isengard |
12 December
2011 |
|
|
|
|
| Update 06 |
Shores of the Great River |
12 March
2012 |
|
|
|
The Great River
|
| Update 07 |
Shades of the Past |
14 May
2012 |
|
|
|
|
| Update 08 |
Riders of Rohan |
15 October
2012 |
Fourth Major Expansion |
Level 85 |
(RoR) |
Eastern Rohan
|
| Update 09 |
Against the Shadow |
17 December
2012 |
|
|
|
|
| Update 10 |
Against the Shadow, Part II |
06 March
2013 |
|
|
|
|
| Update 11 |
Treachery of the White Hand |
13 May
2013 |
|
|
|
Wildermore
|
| Update 12 |
Helm's Deep |
20 November
2013 |
Fifth Major Expansion |
Level 95 |
(HD) |
Western Rohan
|
| Update 13 |
The Breaking of Isengard |
14 April
2014 |
|
|
|
The Entwood, Isengard
|
| Update 14 |
The Paths of the Dead |
14 July
2014 |
|
Level 100 |
(PotD) |
Western Gondor, The Dead Marshes
|
| Update 15 |
Gondor Aflame |
05 November
2014 |
|
|
|
Central Gondor
|
| Update 16 |
Ashes of Osgiliath |
04 May
2015 |
|
|
|
Eastern Gondor, The Sundering of Osgiliath
|
| Update 17 |
The Siege of Minas Tirith |
27 October
2015 |
|
|
|
Old Anórien, Minas Tirith (Besieged)
|
| Update 18 |
The Battle of Pelennor Fields |
12 April
2016 |
|
Level 105 |
(BoPF) |
Far Anórien, Anórien (After Battle)
|
| Update 19 |
March of the King |
18 October
2016 |
|
|
|
North Ithilien
|
| Update 20 |
Battle of the Black Gate |
21 March
2017 |
|
|
|
The Wastes
|
| Update 21 |
Mordor |
02 August
2017 |
Sixth Major Expansion |
Level 115 |
(MoDo) |
The Plateau of Gorgoroth, Dol Guldur (After Battle)
|
| Update 22 |
Legacy of the Necromancer |
06 March
2018 |
|
|
|
Eryn Lasgalen and the Dale-lands
|
| Update 23 |
Where Dragons Dwell |
09 October
2018 |
|
Level 120 |
(WDD) |
The Iron Hills, The Ered Mithrin and Withered Heath
|
| Update 24 |
Vales of Anduin |
04 June
2019 |
|
|
|
The Vales of Anduin
|
| Update 25 |
Minas Morgul |
05 November
2019 |
Seventh Major Expansion |
Level 130 |
(MiMo) |
Mordor (Besieged), The Morgul Vale
|
| Update 26 |
Mists of Wilderland |
23 April
2020 |
|
|
|
The Wells of Langflood
|
| Update 27 |
The Great Wedding |
30 June
2020 |
|
|
|
Minas Tirith (Midsummer)
|
| Update 28 |
War of Three Peaks |
20 October
2020 |
First Minor Expansion |
|
(WoTP) |
Elderslade, Elderslade (Besieged)
|
| Update 29 |
Wildwood |
17 March
2021 |
|
|
|
The Wildwood of the Baranduin
|
| Update 30 |
Blood of Azog |
08 June
2021 |
|
|
|
The Dimrill Dale (Besieged)
|
| Update 31 |
Fate of Gundabad |
10 November
2021 |
Eighth Major Expansion |
Level 140 |
(FoG) |
Mount Gundabad
|
| Update 32 |
Rangers and Ruins |
16 February
2022 |
|
|
|
The Angle of Mitheithel
|
| Update 33 |
The Yondershire |
20 April
2022 |
|
|
|
The Yondershire
|
| Update 34 |
Before the Shadow |
15 November
2022 |
Second Minor Expansion |
|
(BtS) |
Swanfleet, Cardolan
|
| Update 35 |
Return to Carn Dûm |
22 March
2023 |
|
|
|
Carn Dûm (Angmar Reborn)
|
| Update 36 |
King's Gondor |
Summer
2023 |
Currently not in the game |
|
|
Eastern King's Gondor
|
| Update 37 |
Watching the Wing |
Autumn
2023 |
Currently not in the game |
|
|
|
| Update 38 |
Corsairs of Umbar |
Winter
2023 |
Currently not in the game
Ninth Major Expansion |
Level increase |
|
Western King's Gondor, The Havens of Umbar
|
- 20 April 2010 Turbine, Inc. - The game's developer was acquired by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.
- 10 September 2010 - The game became Free-To-Play
- 15 October 2012 - Introduced the Native Mac Client
- 16 December 2016 - The game team responsible for The Lord of the Rings Online moved from Turbine, Inc to Standing Stone Games, a newly formed indie game studio.
Trivia
- Update 04 was released on 26 September 2011 , originally scheduled for release a day earlier.
- Update 08 was released on 15 October 2012 , originally scheduled for release in early September.
- Update 34 was released on 15 November 2022 , originally scheduled for release on 9 November 2022.
Features
- Customizable player characters:
- 7 Races: Beorning, Dwarf, Elf, High Elf, Hobbit, Man, and Stout-axe
- 11 Classes: Beorning, Brawler, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Hunter, Guardian, Lore-master, Minstrel, Warden, and Rune-keeper.
- 10 Professions, enabling resource gathering and item crafting.
- The Traits system allows further customization of the character's skills and stats.
- Monster Play (PvP)
- In-game trading, mail service and auction system.
- Acclaimed Player Music System. Allows one to play music and entertain other players in-game, utilizing the "ABC Music system."
See Also
Wikipedia
Social Media