In The Lord of the Rings Online big changes are coming. The MMO team is leaving Turbine and becoming independent. They are partnering with Daybreak Games.
An surprising announcement from The Lord of the Rings Online. The team responsible for LOTRO and “Dungeons and Dragons Online” (DDO) is leaving developer Turbine. They are founding “Standing Stone Games,” an independent indie game studio. They are entering into a partnership with Daybreak Games (Everquest, H1Z1, Planetside 2). Daybreak will be the publisher, meaning they will release the games.
The team will also continue the development of The Lord of the Rings Online and DDO under a new name as an independent studio. For players, nothing should change. Although they now have a different name, they are still the same team, according to a statement. The existing plans are still valid, and they will be implemented – this is likely referring primarily to “Mordor.”
Hints that The Lord of the Rings Online will continue beyond 2017
There is already an FAQ about the transition: Players should keep their accounts, login data, and Turbine points. Purchases from the shop and lifetime subscriptions are also safe and will be carried over.
The most interesting information in the FAQ is “They updated their licenses without problems.” They are looking forward to “working on the projects for a long time into the future,” the statement continues.
In recent months, there has been much speculation that LOTRO could end after 2017. The license would then expire, and the story surrounding the one ring would have found its end in the game as well. Players are now standing before the gates of Mordor in The Lord of the Rings Online.
The Lord of the Rings Online – This will be exciting
My MMO thinks: This is really a development that nobody saw coming, but in hindsight, something like this was on the horizon. Turbine is likely being transformed into a “Mobile” studio. MMOs could disrupt that vision. From Turbine’s perspective, the step is logical – they are parting ways with games that no longer fit the new direction.
Daybreak is bringing two “aging” MMOs into its portfolio with LOTRO and DDO, which consists of… aging MMOs. The games will likely still be profitable, but long-term perspectives may be lacking. Recently, Daybreak stopped development on the prestige project Everquest Next and parted ways with some unpopular games (Dragon’s Prophet in the USA) and cut the very old ones (Planetside). LOTRO will likely not expect much help from this direction.
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From the perspective of the LOTRO team, the decision could be seen as a kind of “lifeline.” The only way they could continue. Otherwise, it is hard to explain. Surely the decision to separate likely came more from the parent company and not exactly from the developers. But these are just speculations; we don’t have insider information.
The question for many fans is: Does LOTRO continue after 2017? What about the license that is expiring? It is tied to Warner Brothers, who own Turbine – what happens next? What does it mean that they have “updated?” What does this all mean for our game? The statement at least hints at an answer: The “ultimate goal” is to continue to provide players with amazing adventures.
The fight for Middle-earth in a new dimension - the free MMORPG 'The Lord of the Rings Online' transports players into the fantasy world created by J. R. R. Tol...
