The MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online will become a Free To Play (F2P) game in the Fall of 2010.
There will be three types of accounts to choose from, they are VIP, Premium Player, and Free Player, a complete overview of the differences and features available to each account type is available on the official LOTRO web site. For current subscribers the game will not change with the release of the F2P version, except there will be more players around to group with.
A completely optional LOTRO Store will be integrated into the game, giving players access to hundreds of convenience, cosmetic, and consumable items purchasable with “Turbine Points” that you gain while playing the game or by purchasing them in the store.
We can expect to find revamped starting quest areas, the new explorable land of Enedwaith with many quests and dungeons, the Epic story with the Rangers will continue their journey in the south, and more. From the LOTRO Developer’s Diary here are a few highlights of the Enedwaith content to be released:
- New contiguous landscape moving south from Eregion.
- Twelve almost completely revised instance dungeons/raids from Shadows of Angmar™, level-scaled and added to Instance Join with new rewards available at higher levels (effectively making these completely new experiences).
- More quests than the North Downs (previously holding the record for most quest content outside of Moria), many heavily influenced by Old Welsh folklore and Tolkien-lore.
- More deeds than the North Downs.
- More new and unique art per square meter than Moria (relative to the space, mind you!).
- Two new Reputation factions.
- Small Fellowship quests.
- A large Epic Book, including some very special instance quests.
Recent screen shots released by Lord of the Rings Online of the upcoming F2P version featured below:
