The MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online could be released for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. This is at least suggested by information distributed to investors.
What exactly is the plan for a Next-Gen version of the MMORPG? The Lord of the Rings Online (LotRO) is currently only playable on PC. However, this could change in 2022. In a brochure distributed by the company EG7 to investors, The Lord of the Rings Online is also mentioned. EG7 is the company that is acquiring the developer studio Daybreak Games.
Regarding LotRO, it is said that visual and technical updates for PC and Next-Gen consoles are planned for 2022 to benefit from Amazon’s significant investment in a TV series related to The Lord of the Rings.
The Lord of the Rings could be released for Next-Gen
What does that mean exactly? The new owner of Daybreak Games apparently has plans to bring the MMORPG to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S and enhance it. The planned TV series by Amazon is supposed to help increase interest in the online game so that more players want to experience adventures in the fantasy world of Middle-earth and then turn to LotRO.
To achieve this, the game, which was released in 2007, needs to be visually and technically overhauled and improved.
How likely is a release for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S? LotRO has now been around for over 13 years; by 2022, it will be 15 years. The MMORPG does not appear particularly modern already. This is not only true regarding the graphics but also about the gameplay mechanics.
Simply put, the cumbersome combat system with tab-targeting does not meet the modern, active, and action-packed fights that players are accustomed to from newer MMOs.
Thus, a lot of adjustments, optimizations, and improvements would be necessary for LotRO to make it “Next-Gen-Ready”. This raises the question of whether this work is even feasible.
Additionally, there is another MMORPG based on The Lord of the Rings in development, which is also being co-developed by Amazon. LotRO would have to compete with this game, which is being developed from the ground up, featuring modern gameplay systems and contemporary graphics. This could be very challenging.
What is the current status of LotRO? There are some information regarding the MMORPG that were also shared with investors. From this, the following can be inferred:
- The Lord of the Rings Online has about 100,000 players worldwide (it is said to average 108,000 per month).
- 40 % of players are subscribers
- As of September 30, 2020, LotRO recorded an annual revenue of 9.9 million US dollars
- On average, a LotRO player invests 50 US dollars in the game monthly
- 80 % of fans have been around for more than 3 years
LotRO is doing quite well, and it is understandable that EG7, as the new owner of the developer studio Daybreak Games, wants to further tap into this potential.
What do you think? Will there really be a Next-Gen upgrade for The Lord of the Rings Online? Would such a game have a chance?
According to readers of MeinMMO, The Lord of the Rings Online is among the best MMORPGs to start in the genre.
