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Middle-earth Enterprises Partners with Athlon Games for New Lord of the Rings MMO - MMORPG.com News

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
edited September 2018 in News & Features Discussion

imageMiddle-earth Enterprises Partners with Athlon Games for New Lord of the Rings MMO - MMORPG.com News

It appears that a new Lord of the Rings MMO is going to be coming in the future. The information comes via a "Voluntary Announcement - Business Update" by Leyou Technologies that has established a new publishing brand called Athlon Games. The document reveals that Athlon has partnered with Middle-earth Enterprises "to develop and publish a free-to-play massively multiplayer online video game based on The Lord of the Rings, the landmark fantasy literary work of JRR Tolkien".

Read the full story here



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Comments

  • SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
    All I can say is that this news woke me up faster than my entire pot of coffee! I will be watching closely! WOOT!
    MadFrenchieceh430SovrathmcrippinsGaladournMargraveOzmodanDiscipledOneHluillitchmonand 15 others.


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  • sgelsgel Member EpicPosts: 2,197
    Wow.. that's very unexpected!
    SBFordMargraveOctagon7711LaviotaRueTheWhirlazarhalMrMelGibsonSabraccraftseekerBeezerbeezand 2 others.

    ..Cake..

  • Gobstopper3DGobstopper3D Member RarePosts: 970
    Normally I would be jumping around like a little kid with this news, but it being developed by an Asian dev and being F2P, makes me think of grindy and far to cash shop intrusive. Will wait for more info, but most likely I will be giving it a pass.
    some-clueless-guyBitterClingerkenguru23DorrianOzmodanJeroKaneAlmostLancelotGorweScotTuor7and 9 others.

    I'm not an IT Specialist, Game Developer, or Clairvoyant in real life, but like others on here, I play one on the internet.

  • ScorchienScorchien Member LegendaryPosts: 8,914
    Wow that would be great news , as much as ive enjoyed LOTRO over these 11 years it has become stale due to its limitations

    JeffSpicoliOzmodanHluillGutlardSamhael
  • XasapisXasapis Member RarePosts: 6,337
    edited September 2018
    F2P is really not the negative flag it used to be. F2P with no subscription options though still is. No idea about the actual new game of course.
  • SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
    edited September 2018
    Yeah, the unknown publisher / developer and the "F2P" thing are worrisome. However, given Middle-earth Enterprises has been working with a F2P LOTR MMO for years and understands, we hope, what works and what doesn't in that particular niche, I'll wait before automatically sending this one to the "meh bin". 

    Hopefully, we'll see more details soon.
    MadFrenchieMendelDiscipledOneSaltyDog79infomatz


    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 


  • MeryylMeryyl Member CommonPosts: 3
    I’m always amazed at how quick people are to dismiss new projects. ESO has proven conclusively that F2P can be a vastly superior format in today’s gaming environment. There are more than enough whales that are happy to purchase cosmetic items from the cash shop. Constant DLC with an optional sub makes for a great game.
    [Deleted User]MargraveSBFordJeffSpicoliDiscipledOneRueTheWhirlBeezerbeezLackingMMOinfomatzCazrieland 1 other.
  • MargraveMargrave Member RarePosts: 1,371
    edited September 2018
    This could be just what's needed right about now.
    And Meryyl is very right! =)
  • berlightberlight Member UncommonPosts: 345
    Great. More gandalfs and hobbits.
    Solancer

    Beta tester maniac

  • RandomCasualtyRandomCasualty Member UncommonPosts: 331
    I'm guessing it will be similar to Neverwinter by Arc games :( . Would have just preferred a character/ui graphic/mechanic overall of lotro. So much content, but so bloody ugly for this day and age.
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  • KitsunamiKitsunami Member UncommonPosts: 101
    Calling it now. Mobile game.
  • SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
    edited September 2018

    In light of the resurgence of interest in The Lord of the Rings IP, the Board expects that this good opportunity to work with Middle-earth Enterprises will generate more revenue for the Group and create more values for the shareholders of the Company. Accordingly, the Board is of the view that the development and publishing of this new title based on The Lord of the Rings is in the interest of the Company and its shareholders as a whole.

    This type of company directive should worry fans of the IP in regards to the mmo space.

    This was my thought as well. "The Group" sounds like a holding company. We know what those types of things are like: If it's not making a profit, BAM...cut ties and close without any "second chances". If M-E Enterprises partnered with a company like this (F2P development, seemingly a holding company, etc.), one has to wonder why and what the details of the agreement are?

    Geez...it was so exciting, but as I ponder it, I feel like a deflating balloon. I hope it's not mobile. :/
    infomatzGobstopper3D


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  • LithuanianLithuanian Member UncommonPosts: 559
    Interesting news. Would wait - hopefully, it is not mobile/pvp game - and see.
    Would Lotro points be there? :D

    http://www.mmoblogg.wordpress.com

  • some-clueless-guysome-clueless-guy Member UncommonPosts: 227
    edited September 2018
    In light of what happened to SW:G when EA blessed us all with SWTOR, what will happen to the currently running Middle Earth? Who owns the copyrights for Tolkien's work and is there any word from them?
  • BluelinerBlueliner Member UncommonPosts: 185
    some-clueless-guy said:
    In light of what happened to SW:G when EA blessed us all with SWTOR, what will happen to the currently running Middle Earth? Who owns the copyrights for Tolkien's work and is there any word from them?
    well if you go by the star wars model then we would end up with a vastly subpar game with much better graphics. As for Tolkien's work? Don't quote me but something in my head is telling me it's become public domain for some reason but obviously could be wrong here.
  • GaladournGaladourn Member RarePosts: 1,813
    oh my... first time in years I feel so excited for the *possibility* of something good out of all this...
  • SovrathSovrath Member LegendaryPosts: 32,938
    Blueliner said:
    some-clueless-guy said:
    In light of what happened to SW:G when EA blessed us all with SWTOR, what will happen to the currently running Middle Earth? Who owns the copyrights for Tolkien's work and is there any word from them?
    well if you go by the star wars model then we would end up with a vastly subpar game with much better graphics. As for Tolkien's work? Don't quote me but something in my head is telling me it's become public domain for some reason but obviously could be wrong here.
    It's not in public domain.
    Po_ggMendelOctagon7711craftseekerinfomatzCazriel
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  • MargraveMargrave Member RarePosts: 1,371
    I would have no problem with a Neverwinter style title. Played it a bunch. Was fun. I hope it's not a mobile title. That would be disappointing.

    If they could achieve cross-play like AdventureQuest3D has working that would be cool. I like that I can play the same AQ3D on my PC, and iPad. Same server, same character. If they copy that setup it would be cool.
  • immodiumimmodium Member RarePosts: 2,610
    Meryyl said:
    I’m always amazed at how quick people are to dismiss new projects. ESO has proven conclusively that F2P can be a vastly superior format in today’s gaming environment. There are more than enough whales that are happy to purchase cosmetic items from the cash shop. Constant DLC with an optional sub makes for a great game.
    ESO isn't F2P, it's B(Buy)2P. They do have the occasional F2P weekend though.

    image
  • Po_ggPo_gg Member EpicPosts: 5,749
    I don't think it is huge news, Suzie :wink:  barely on the level of those assassin's creed clones in Middle-earth.

    As Kano said ("people are assuming that this might be an updated better version of Lotro - chances are, it wont"), it won't affect much of the game. According to the .pdf MEE gave them the rights of "years leading to the events of LotR", just like with the upcoming show before.

    My guess is an eastern flashy action game a'la Warframe, just more leaning on to the MMO side, maybe even on console or mobile, and placed in the Third Age - but not including anything from the main books. As I see, it defines an entirely different target group than the current LotRO players.

    Sure, a few lore-enthusiasts will give it a try (myself included), but most likely will be disappointed as with the assassin's creedor games (myself included). I will put it on a follow to see the upcoming news, but otherwise I don't think it is something huge.

    some-clueless-guy said:
    Who owns the copyrights for Tolkien's work and is there any word from them?
    It is a mixed bag with plenty of legal disputes over the years, but as a rule of thumb MEE owns the core (Hobbit, LotR, and the Appendices), and the Estate owns the rest. But even MEE can't do anything they want, as the gambling fiasco proved.
    OzmodanCazriel
  • mgilbrtsnmgilbrtsn Member EpicPosts: 3,430
    cautiously optimistic.  I didn't get into LOTRO, but love the IP, so here's keeping fingers crossed.  Like always, having lowered expectations will help with expectation management.
    MargraveSBFord

    I self identify as a monkey.

  • chronoss2015chronoss2015 Member UncommonPosts: 217
    it becomes public domain in canada on january 1st 2024
    so by time game comes out its public domain in canada....

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_Canada#Public_domain

  • dhtx74dhtx74 Member UncommonPosts: 6
    stopped reading @ "Free-to-play" , next.
    OzmodanSamhael
  • MargraveMargrave Member RarePosts: 1,371
    Was just thinking...

    What if someone did a modern day version of the tale? Someone finds the ring, doesn't know what in world is happening when they put it on, and has no idea what there's a biker gang in all black following them trying to kill them. Of course they're all wearing hoodies. Etc.

    Kind of like a LotR-Bright movie? That would be different.
    Viper482SlyLoK
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