LOTRO to Revert to Subscription-Only Model

Please note: The following post is a 2014 April Fool’s joke. Any similarity to actual news is completely unintentional (and hopefully hilarious).

Lord of the Rings Online, the first AAA MMO title to convert it’s business model to the oft-maligned and celebrated “Free to Play”, is blazing the trail once again. This morning, Turbine, Inc., issued a press release detailing their plans to revert the game back to a subscription-only model. Citing recent decisions by newcomers Wildstar and The Elder Scrolls Online, LOTRO executive producer Aaron Campbell offered a simple explanation:

“We’ve got to make money. We feel that we’re in a unique position being the only environment where players can really spend time playing and living in Middle-earth. It’s kind of like being a Cubs fan. No matter how bad the team is, people are going to show up to the game. We feel that a sub-only model is the most fair way to ensure that everybody is buying a ticket.”

Campbell goes on to say that “Free-to-Play was revolutionary for it’s time. We gained players from the moment we launched the model. But the plan was always to convert those numbers back into subscriptions. I mean, how many blanket-draped mounts are people actually willing to buy?”

However, the move is not without controversy. Players Council members banded together to release a joint statement on the LOTRO Forums under the title: “This one wasn’t our idea!”

Existing systems will be retro-fitted in support of the move. Players will be required to spend their Turbine Points on Mithril Coins, which can then be exchanged for destiny points. Destiny points will be automatically converted to in-game gold, a change currently slated for update 14. Current subscribers and lifetime account holders will continue to accumulate Turbine points on a monthly basis, which can be used for bragging rights, or to pay for housing upkeep.

What do players get out of this conversion? Players who are currently subscribed will obtain the title “Loyal VIP” and lifetime account holders “Loyal Lifer”. All other players who were not subscribed as of January 1, 2014 will receive the title “Freeloader” once the update launches, and will have until April 30 to enter their credit card information into myaccount.turbine.com so that they can continue to play the game after update 14.

Reactions here at LOTRO Players has been somewhat mixed. I wandered around the office cubicles to take an informal poll:

Andang: “Hail and NOT well met, friends.”

Mysteri: “What did they say about mounts?”

Pineleaf: “Well, we’ll just have to see….”

Branick: (mumbling something about renting and buying while wandering around the office throwing his hands about)

Ethelros: * long sigh*

Lilikate: “ooo, so I’m a freeloader now, eh? Naughty Turbine.”

Draculetta was engrossed in an Epic Battle and unavailable for comment.

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