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Turbine confirms five new LotRO instances by the end of the year
While a new expansion is usually a cause for celebration, some Lord of the Rings Online players have expressed disappointment that September's Rise of Isengard lacks new instances outside of the much-ballyhooed 24-man raid. Between convention appearances, Turbine's Sapience confirmed on the forums that while Isengard players won't be enjoying any additional three-man or six-man dungeons, more will come by the end of the year in Update 5: We are currently preparing five new instances for release post-Isengard. Rise of Isengard will be released on September 27 along with a 24-player raid. There will be 3 three-player, 1 six-player and 1 twelve-player instance released in Update 5, the first update after the release of Rise of Isengard. These instances will be free to any player who has pre-purchased the Rise of Isengard expansion or who purchases after launch via the Turbine web store. Update 5 will be available before the end of the year. Rise of Isengard will be on display at Turbine's booth this weekend at PAX in Seattle.
LotRO's Draigoch revealed in his full glory
While we've previously been treated to concept art of Lord of the Rings Online's new 24-man raid boss, we haven't seen how the dragon Draigoch actually looked in game... until now. Today Turbine released three screenshots showcasing its ginormous dragon, and we have to admit: The dude looks intimidating. Glowy eyes? Check. Fire breath? Check. Squatting on a pile of treasure? Check. Horns, claws and leathery wings? Check. Hipster beard? Uh... check! It is surprising to see a dragon with a beard, although it does lend Draigoch an aura of maturity. Well, that and the possibility that he's planning to audition for ZZ Top. Draigoch is one of the last of the great dragons of Middle-earth, and Turbine has said that he will not only talk but lip-sync his dialogue to players. You can check out Draigoch's photo shoot in the gallery below. %Gallery-9579%
LotRO's Rise of Isengard beta begins July 27th
Feel like the road trip to Mordor isn't getting there as fast as you'd like? Good news, everyone -- Turbine's about ready to pull out of the gas station and truck toward Isengard! Today the studio announced that the beta program for Lord of the Rings Online's Rise of Isengard expansion will begin next Wednesday, July 27th. Invites will be going out to select players across North America and Europe, although the NDA forbids participants from even mentioning that they're part of the program. Those who have pre-ordered the digital expansion will have "preferred access" to the beta, so that seems like your best bet if you're interested. Rise of Isengard will release on September 27th, and contains a level cap increase to 75, three new zones and a 24-person raid against the dragon Draigoch. The expansion heads deep into the territory mentioned in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Two Towers.
Meet LotRO's latest Big Bad: The dragon Draigoch
Lord of the Rings Online's Rise of Isengard expansion is still a couple months away, but that doesn't mean we should be saving up our collective drool for that moment. Instead, let us lavish our eyes on a brand-new piece of concept art and feel our mouths go slack with anticipation! This piece of art depicts Draigoch, the giant dragon who will be the big bad boss of the expansion's 24-man raid. Turbine says that Draigoch is one of the most powerful creatures in Middle-earth, and after getting a look at him, we're inclined to agree. Reportedly, he'll be so big that players will only be able to fight his head. Rise of Isengard is slated for a September 27th release, and can be pre-ordered now to gain spiffy bonuses and cosmetic gear. %Gallery-9579%
Turbine announces LotRO's Rise of Isengard release date
The road goes ever on for fans of Lord of the Rings Online, and as of September 27th, that road will lead to Isengard. Turbine has just announced the official launch date for its Rise of Isengard expansion, and the update will add Isengard, Dunland, and the Gap of Rohan to the expanding Middle-earth map. There's also a new level cap in the offing (75) as well as a new 24-player raid in the works. If September seems far away, take heart. Turbine has also announced that pre-orders are available today, and bonus items including a new cloak, title, mount, and bonus XP will be available in-game immediately after your purchase. The pre-order comes in three flavors (the Base, Heroic, and Legendary editions), and each includes the full expansion and an escalating array of the bonus items listed above. Head to the official Rise of Isengard website for more and check out the trailer after the cut!
Through Turbine's palantír: Developers outline LotRO's future
In J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, characters would use magical orbs known as palantírs to see and communicate with far away places. While Massively's own palantír is at the shop, we had access to the next best thing -- a one-on-two chat about Lord of the Rings Online's future with Turbine's Aaron Campbell and Adam Mersky. A lot's been happening since LotRO's free-to-play version went online last fall -- the closest thing to a relaunch that this game is likely to ever see -- and both Campbell and Mersky have one important message for fans: We're just getting started. Even as the Turbine team gears up for LotRO's third expansion, Rise of Isengard, the devs want you to know that they're also dedicated to bringing a good amount of content between now and then. Everything was on the table during this discussion, from this weekend's anniversary celebration to next month's update to the new expansion. Join us after the jump for a look through the palantír to see what information we can pry from the future!
