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Turbine working on console MMO
Half-confirming earlier rumblings, Turbine has gone on record to state that they are actively developing a console-based MMO. It's not known at this time whether the title is, as rumored, a cross-platform console adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, or whether it is an entirely new title.According to Turbine Communications Director Adam Mersky, the company intends to fill 100 new positions in 2008, with 60 slots already filled thus far this year. A significant investment from media giant Time Warner is largely the cause of this sudden growth, which proves promising for the MMO developer.[Via Gamasutra]
Middle-earth expands to the Middle Kingdom
According to a press release from Turbine Entertainment, the MMO maker is partnering with China's CDC Games to bring Lord of the Rings Online: The Shadows of Angmar to Chinese gamers -- a market with a strong affinity for online fantasy games. Turbine has already experienced success with Dungeons & Dragons Online in China and Japan, thanks to some effective content localization, and CDC will use a similar strategy by giving Middle-earth a distinctly Asian makeover. I hope this just means substituting tofu and rice for lembas bread, and not giving Gandalf a Fu Manchu moustache.See also: LOTR Online gameplay footage
LOTR Online gameplay footage
Turbine has released a new five-minute gameplay vid from Lord of the Rings Online: The Shadows of Angmar. You'll get to see humans, dwarves, and elves in a variety of combat scenarios, and watch little hobbitses traverse a faithfully rendered Middle-earth. Based solely on the literary works of Tolkien, the DDO developer has done a nice job creating a look and feel that you will never mistake for the EA line of film-inspired LOTR games (for better or worse). However, the forthcoming MMO could use a little more work in the sound effects department. As of right now, just about every cleave, slash, and arrow pierce sounds like a punch. In fact, if you only heard the audio, you would think you were listening to a Street Fighter game. There is still no release date for Shadows of Angmar, but hopefully Turbine will have enough time to address the audible issues.See also: Tom Bombadil featured in LOTR Online Midway to co-publish Lord of the Rings MMO LOTR Online creature feature
Tom Bombadil featured in LOTR Online
The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar web site has been updated with some background info on the home of Tolkien fan favorite Tom Bombadil. While Peter Jackson may have felt this mysterious denizen of the Old Forest was unnecessary to the film's overall plot, Bombadil and his wife Goldberry will be most welcome by the virtual inhabitants of Turbine's forthcoming MMO. Shadows still has no release date, but the beta is expected to launch by the end of the summer.See also: LOTR Online creature feature LOTR Online playable classes updated
LOTR Online creature feature
If you've read Tolkien's novels, then you're probably already familiar with Eriador, just west of the Misty Mountains. This will be one of the playable regions when Turbine launches The Lord of the Rings: The Shadows of Angmar later this year. It's filled with nasty goblins, orc-kind, and a few new beasts exclusive to the game, such as the gruesome Dark-water and the Watching Stones.See also: Lord of the Rings Online official trailer LOTR Online playable classes updated
