What I Want from a Lord of the Rings MMORPG
Feb. 27, 2024What I Want from a Lord of the Rings MMORPG
Amazon is to conquer a major IP for its next MMO and that’s based on The Lord of the Rings series. Not much is known of what direction they will be taking the game but I had a few thoughts on what I would like from such a game.
There is of course another MMO based on a franchise and I would be remiss to talk about the long-reigningThe Lord of the Rings Onlinewhich has been ongoing since its debut in 2007. The game has continued to gain updates throughout the years, with new content for the free-to-play MMO. Of course, its outdated graphics don’t really do the world justice.
A new MMO can really have amazing environments and that was proven by Amazon’s latest own developed IP New World. The amount of detail and systems that now can be supported is quite different from when the LOTR original MMO first launched. If it ends up looking as good as New World I would be happy with this level of detail, however, it’s a very intricate world already with a ton of lore. While long running MMOs have the content down such as World of Warcraft or FFXIV, I crave the visuals as well as the story. I know graphics aren’t everything, but I want to see this beautiful dangerous world in all its glory.
Bringing players a fresh take on ‘The Lord of the Rings’ has long been an aspiration for our team…
It will be some time before we see the game, and according to VP Christoph Hartmann they won’t release something until it’s ready.
We’re not going to ship something which is not ready. Obviously, we’d all like it to come out as soon as possible out of personal interest, but we’re only going to get it out when it’s really ready to go
Housing in Lords of the Rings would be a no brainer with Hobbit holes. Being able to make the Shire a full time home would be a great option for downtime between dungeon runs, raids or epic battles. I want everything in between, with comfort food recipes and ale drinking (that hopefully comes in pints) with a tune or tune to pass the time.
Games such as Final Fantasy 14 do an amazing job with bard entertainment with instruments. It adds to the world and interactions between players. There is actually already a game in development that will be taking this concept as its whole basis but having it as player housing as part of the major world would be a nice bonus.
Being able to play any race, including Orcs, Goblins, Hobbits and all. Having full freedom to choose your own background is great for roleplaying games. This could be further extended to the role of fantasy with professions. While classes are dubbed as jobs in FFXIV, I could see adding professions in a LOTR MMO would also be a great way to make some extra gold or enhance the roleplaying experience. Whether that be herb/weed gathering or harvesting your own crop.
As the world is drenched in magic, I’d highly expect magical classes to be an option. While wizards seem quite rare in the LOTR, there are still elves and other beings that have some sort of magical presence. The balance would be difficult, as it bring in the question of rings or other magical items. Whether that remains just part of the main story or actually equippable by players. Casting classes with staves in my book are a must, but I could see why it could be forgone.
LOTR/Hobbit nostalgia and main stories will be the draw for all fans, I really hope there will be plenty of new stories, and adventures to be had to extend the lore. Since the game is under the publisher giant Amazon, they aren’t strangers to new stories. While the series The Rings of Power explores a new narrative but is set in a different age, there is a lot to be explored especially in a game adaptation. Maybe TV show it’s the best example having mixed reviews depending on the platform you check and that’s a whole another article it itself. It is however a new story, showing there is much to be explored narrative-wise.
Sticking to the source material will please hardcore fans, but making new memories and being inviting to all types of MMORPG players is key for community survival. The idea of a new MMORPG shouldn’t be there to replace LORTO but give another realm for fans to explore. Another age, another time, another completely different experience.
Side-quests should be more than just fetch quests. Some of the best quests in MMORPG can turn out to be side quests, ones that are optional or help to open up certain features of the game. Just because they’re optional doesn’t mean they aren’t totally worth getting into and I’d expect the same from an LOTR MMORPG. This will also up plenty of options when it comes to a new experience in the world of Middle Earth. There could even be sneak quests taking a leaf out of Gollum’s book.
Lands worthy of the fantasy world. Having visited New Zealand recently to see the set of Hobbiton, I’m hoping the game’s world will live up to expectations. Rolling hills, dark forests, deadly marshes and more should all be part of the MMO. The world is very much a character of the fantasy and hopefully, this will be done in a spectacular fashion. After all, Bilbo said it best, “I want to see mountains again, Gandalf”.
While horseback (or pony) would be a great option along with a cart, being able to see the world from above would also be amazing. Being able to communicate with the eagles and call upon them such as Gandalf does might be a great way to view the world from greater heights.
Adventures should feel like adventures. Meeting up with a fellowship of your own to take on some orcs, or sneak past a dragon would bring new meaning to gather your party. Fun party mechanics in dungeons or even raids would make group adventuring more interesting and build a sense of online camaraderie. Combat would be a mix of hack and slash with ranged casting for a feel of immense battle.
While a crafting system for weapons would be great, I don’t want it to be the only way to gain weapons or armor. Feeling rewarded for completing quests, dungeons or other activities would be my preference. Precious loot, my precious.
MMORPGs such as The Elder Scrolls Online have open-world PVP sieging which means a larger party can storm castles, buildings and other structures using siege equipment. LOTR MMO could do something similar, storming orc hideouts or delving into deep abandoned mines to unearth some long-lost treasures or something else that lurks there. There’s a lot Amazon could do with this and there better be dragons.
While it might be some time before we gain a peek into what Amazon is cooking for its MMORPG. I would very much like some of these on my wish list to become a reality. Anyone who takes on a world that has a hearty fanbase with hardcore fans there will be a certain level of expectation. Adapting books, movies or other media into a game is not the easiest of tasks. While I tend to keep my expectations rather realistic (maybe a little lower after recent games based on the IP) this is a major publisher which could make something stellar.
What would you want from the MMO? Let us know in the comments below.
For more of our content check out nextHow to Prepare for Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLCandElden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Deep Dive: Everything You Need to Know.
Yuria
News Editor at Fextralife. Yuria is an avid PC gamer and Twitch streamer who enjoys online multi-player games and believes games should have amazing storylines not just great graphics.
Lord of the Rings Online was so good back in the day, i used to be on Laurelin and bought a lifetime sub on launch only to lose it due to not migrating my account in the allotted time window doh! I’d like to see another stab at a middle earth themed MMO but ye gods stay away from the Rings of Power related stuff Amazon!
