Andre Yoskowitz
4 Jun 2010 13:48
Warner Bros. has announced that its hit MMO Lord of the Rings Online will move to free-to-play starting in September.
The publisher tried a similar strategy last year with Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited, and says revenue exploded 500 percent after they made the game free-to-play.
"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," says Jim Crowley, president and CEO of Turbine (via GI). "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 Lord of the Rings Online will offer another premium game to a broad spectrum of fans."
Warner will make money off the game by charging for expansions, quest packs, items, weapons and account services. The company is also starting a VIP program that will give gamers unlimited access to all content for a certain price.
A beta of the VIP service and the LOTRO store selling the DLC starts on June 16th.
David Solari, general manager of Codemasters Online,(which runs the game in Europe) says: "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. It's a fantastic, award-winning game with a wonderfully realised world and this step will only broaden its appeal and increase its player base."