Lord of the Rings Online Coming To Consoles?

Keane Ng

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Lord of the Rings Online Coming To Consoles?



Turbine is working on bringing their Lord of the Rings MMOG to the Xbox 360 (and possibly PlayStation 3), according to rumors.

According to a "reliable source" who spoke with Destructoid [http://www.destructoid.com/rumortoid-lord-of-the-rings-online-headed-to-xbox-360-127139.phtml], Turbine is bringing Lord of the Rings Online to Xbox 360, barring a few snags. Apparently the game is well on its way, but Turbine is having some problems negotiating a subscription model for its game on Xbox Live. They want to make it free-to-play, while Microsoft won't commit to that model. The company is well known for being strict about how things are monetized over Xbox Live, as anyone who's been waiting for Team Fortress 2 DLC on the 360 will know.

Destructoid, however, has heard through the grapevine that Microsoft is close to finalizing an arrangement for putting MMOGs on Xbox Live, and that the technology for Lord of the Rings Online is all set to go.

Turbine, predictably, was coy about confirming or denying the rumors, only stating that they were indeed working on a console MMOG and are in talks with both Microsoft and Sony. The developer plans to officially reveal the project in the near future. "We plan to make more noise in a couple of months," Adam Mersky of Turbine told Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/02/rumor-lord-of-the-rings-online-bound-for-xbox-360/]. "We'll definitely have something to show by summer."

If it's true, let's hope that whatever pricing scheme Microsoft, Sony and Turbine work out isn't too complicated or expensive, because it could set a precedent for current-gen console MMOGs, for better or worse. Either way, I wouldn't mind farming some pipeweed over Xbox Live.


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oliveira8

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Urg...Leave MMO's in the PC were they work...were you can patch them free....

If LotR gets released for the 360, the 360 users will probably never see a free patch...

I still wonder what Valve had to give in return to Cthulhu so he would made the L4D DLC be free for the Xbox 360...
 

DRADIS C0ntact

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These rumors have been circulating for well over a year on the LOTRO forums. If it's true, I'll play it. But Turbine regularly releases large free content updates in-between expansion packs. The keyword there being free. Not sure how that would go over well with Microsoft.
 

Eldritch Warlord

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I don't see where people get the idea that consoles don't get free patches or updates.

MS always charges for expansions (at least to start) but Xbox Live sees more free stuff than people seem to think.
 

DRADIS C0ntact

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Eldritch Warlord said:
I don't see where people get the idea that consoles don't get free patches or updates.

MS always charges for expansions (at least to start) but Xbox Live sees more free stuff than people seem to think.
It's not just patches. I'm sure regular patches and bug fixes would be free. I'm talking about Turbine's content updates. They release new content for free for the game every three months or so. The latest free content update was Lothlorien. I can't remember exactly, but I think the file was close to 1GB in size. Do you really think Microsoft would let Turbine offer files of that size every three months for free?
 

Mausenheimmer

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The real issue is going to be hard drive space. As one of the 20 GB owners, I know that 1 GB a month in updates would cripple me.
 

nova18

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Im probably gonna have to choose carefully about what PS3 MMO I get if LOTRO comes out.
The Agency and DC Online have got me pretty interested as well.
But I do love LotR.

I might hold out until SWGalaxies gets made for PS3 and obsess over that for a few years.
 

Aqualung

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This would be amazingly awesome, since my dad cancelled my subscription and I can't get a job.. I wouldn't even mind paying for updates, as long as they're worth it.
 

Baby Tea

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Sep 18, 2008
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I would play if it's free.
Two subscription fees? No way.
I don't mind the $50 for 13 months, I really don't. But if I'm going to be charged again for another game that I may, or may not, continue playing after a little while, then count me out.
 

DRADIS C0ntact

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Wait...what exactly do you mean by free to play? It just dawned on me that there are two subscriptions at stake here. Xbox Live and LOTRO. Does Turbine want it to be completely free to play, as in you only need a silver Live account and you won't be charge a monthly fee for the game itself? Or do they only want it to be free to play in the sense that you won't need an Xbox Live gold account, but you'll still have to pay Turbine a monthly fee?

I guess it doesn't really matter to me either way, because I already have a lifetime subscription to LOTRO. I'd still like to know though.
 

Eldritch Warlord

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DRADIS C0ntact said:
Wait...what exactly do you mean by free to play? It just dawned on me that there are two subscriptions at stake here. Xbox Live and LOTRO. Does Turbine want it to be completely free to play, as in you only need a silver Live account and you won't be charge a monthly fee for the game itself? Or do they only want it to be free to play in the sense that you won't need an Xbox Live gold account, but you'll still have to pay Turbine a monthly fee?
Or perhaps they mean the most sensible and logical way in that online play will have no additional cost over the ability to play online (Gold account, no subscription fee).
 

John Funk

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Eldritch Warlord said:
DRADIS C0ntact said:
Wait...what exactly do you mean by free to play? It just dawned on me that there are two subscriptions at stake here. Xbox Live and LOTRO. Does Turbine want it to be completely free to play, as in you only need a silver Live account and you won't be charge a monthly fee for the game itself? Or do they only want it to be free to play in the sense that you won't need an Xbox Live gold account, but you'll still have to pay Turbine a monthly fee?
Or perhaps they mean the most sensible and logical way in that online play will have no additional cost over the ability to play online (Gold account, no subscription fee).
Only then Turbine ends up providing constant content updates and hefty bandwidth fees without getting compensation for it.
 

Angron

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as long as they dont do what they did with games like phatasy star where u have to pay xbox live and monthly fees, thats horrible...

plus i dont think i would want an MMO on a console, PC is good enough for me...but then i still wont pay the monthly fee on its own...
 

bue519

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oliveira8 said:
Urg...Leave MMO's in the PC were they work...were you can patch them free....

If LotR gets released for the 360, the 360 users will probably never see a free patch...

I still wonder what Valve had to give in return to Cthulhu so he would made the L4D DLC be free for the Xbox 360...
Probably the hearts of young children.
But seriously, if your going to port an MMO over to the 360 why not atleast make it a good one.