2021 will be an exciting year for fans of the MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online (LotRO). Several updates and even a major expansion are planned. But what about the version for PS5 and Xbox Series S?
What is happening with the planned PS5 version of the MMORPG? At the end of 2020, it was mentioned in an investor conference that a next-gen version of LotRO with better graphics is planned for 2022. However, the details of what it will look like and what will change were not disclosed.
Since then, there have been no new updates on this matter. Even in the new letter from Executive Producer Rob Ciccolini, discussing the plans for this year, the version of The Lord of the Rings Online that is supposedly also due for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S is not mentioned. The team remains silent on this.
Whether and when this version will be released is still up in the air. We may learn more about this version of the MMORPG over the course of this year.
Adapting such an old MMORPG for the new consoles and modernizing it to compete with current online role-playing games is extremely ambitious and seems rather unlikely. For now, we will have to wait and see what the developers have to say.
LotRO continues its story
What can LotRO players expect next? Later this month, the Wildwood of Bree will be added to the game. There, you will experience adventures in the wilderness between Bree and Evendim. In the Wildwood, you will encounter two factions and must find out what they are up to.
The special thing about this content is that it is aimed not at high-level players, but rather offers something new for lower-level players.
Also in March, you can celebrate at the spring festival, and the new raid for 6 players, “Naruhel the Red Maid,” promises cosmetic items and further rewards.
There will also be a start to the “Further Adventures” in spring. This will involve quest lines with new stories about well-known characters from the world of Middle-earth. The first story will revolve around the hobbit Bilbo Baggins.
What will happen next with the story about the Dwarves? Summer will bring the major update 30 titled “The Blood of Azog” to the MMORPG LotRO. In this update, you will learn how the War of the Three Peaks progresses. The update will bring new quests and missions as well as another raid.
You will experience the conclusion of the Dwarven story in autumn with the major expansion “Gundabad.” The developers have not revealed much about this, except that it concludes the story of Durin’s Legacy and the trial of the Dwarves.
What else is happening in 2021? The Wastes and Mordor will be added to the legendary servers. Perhaps the Grey Mountains will also be added by the end of the year.
Additionally, adjustments to the PvMP, the Player vs. Monster combat, are planned. Adjustments to legendary items are also in the works.
The Lord of the Rings Online, despite being nearly 14 years old, remains one of the 13 best free-to-play MMORPGs.
