Palantir
Member #86
Turbine confirms LOTRO Volume III and Riders of Rohan
(here's the whole article)
Rather than starting a new Volume and a new Epic story line with an expansion pack, Siege of Mirkwood will conclude the current Volume II and Volume III will be started via a free content update out early in the new year instead.
Adam Mersky, PR Manager at Turbien told us: "Volume III will kick off with our first content update of 2010. With our expansion this year we've changed the model; you can still expect to receive regular (free) content updates, but they may not map directly to the launch of a new Epic Story. The story will progress and proceed!"
He then went on to confirm the existence Riders of Rohan, but it appears that this will be a further expansion and not necessarily the name for Volume III, saying "Regarding Rohan, we aren't talking specifics yet about our next expansion. Stay tuned for more info next year!"
It's heartening to see that LOTRO will continue to get free content updates, given the support in terms of content for Volume II has been fairly small. The idea of changing the way updates work is certainly new, meaning that free updates could be considered more major than before, but to have Epic storylines introduced to level capped characters may feel a little odd, although all the Books so far have continued Epic storylines so players may accept it without complaint.
It seems clear that Rohan is the planned next expansion after Mirkwood, so it will be interesting to see how the Epic storyline and free content updates lead us there.
Update: Since this story has hit the internet we have been contacted by Turbine and they have asked us to add the following statement:
"Siege of Mirkwood will arrive in December and will mark the conclusion of Volume II of LOTRO's epic story. We will be kicking off Volume III in our first update of 2010. The story incorrectly presumed that Volume III is called Riders of Rohan. Beyond the fact that Volume III will begin with our next update, we have not released any more details about our plans for the road ahead and we will do so when the time is right."
http://www.gamerzines.com/mmo/news/lotro-volume-iii-confirmed.html
Interesting, I figured they would release a "Northern Mirkwood" expansion in late 2010 just ahead of the release of "The Hobbit Movie" in 2011. I still believe Turbine can't pass up that golden opportunity & tie-in between the two.
But getting to see Rohan- I won't complain.
I'm not worried it won't follow the Epic Story Line "exactly." There's just too much land, action & races happening all at once in Middle Earth to ignore where the "Books" didn't go or didn't cover. As long as they stay within what Tolkien had in the world I'm happy (no weird aliens or riding eagles as mounts!). comments?
(here's the whole article)
Rather than starting a new Volume and a new Epic story line with an expansion pack, Siege of Mirkwood will conclude the current Volume II and Volume III will be started via a free content update out early in the new year instead.
Adam Mersky, PR Manager at Turbien told us: "Volume III will kick off with our first content update of 2010. With our expansion this year we've changed the model; you can still expect to receive regular (free) content updates, but they may not map directly to the launch of a new Epic Story. The story will progress and proceed!"
He then went on to confirm the existence Riders of Rohan, but it appears that this will be a further expansion and not necessarily the name for Volume III, saying "Regarding Rohan, we aren't talking specifics yet about our next expansion. Stay tuned for more info next year!"
It's heartening to see that LOTRO will continue to get free content updates, given the support in terms of content for Volume II has been fairly small. The idea of changing the way updates work is certainly new, meaning that free updates could be considered more major than before, but to have Epic storylines introduced to level capped characters may feel a little odd, although all the Books so far have continued Epic storylines so players may accept it without complaint.
It seems clear that Rohan is the planned next expansion after Mirkwood, so it will be interesting to see how the Epic storyline and free content updates lead us there.
Update: Since this story has hit the internet we have been contacted by Turbine and they have asked us to add the following statement:
"Siege of Mirkwood will arrive in December and will mark the conclusion of Volume II of LOTRO's epic story. We will be kicking off Volume III in our first update of 2010. The story incorrectly presumed that Volume III is called Riders of Rohan. Beyond the fact that Volume III will begin with our next update, we have not released any more details about our plans for the road ahead and we will do so when the time is right."
http://www.gamerzines.com/mmo/news/lotro-volume-iii-confirmed.html
Interesting, I figured they would release a "Northern Mirkwood" expansion in late 2010 just ahead of the release of "The Hobbit Movie" in 2011. I still believe Turbine can't pass up that golden opportunity & tie-in between the two.
But getting to see Rohan- I won't complain.
I'm not worried it won't follow the Epic Story Line "exactly." There's just too much land, action & races happening all at once in Middle Earth to ignore where the "Books" didn't go or didn't cover. As long as they stay within what Tolkien had in the world I'm happy (no weird aliens or riding eagles as mounts!). comments?
