14 DAY TRIAL // The development team at Turbine working on The Lord of the Rings Online announces that before the end of the year, all players of the MMO based on the books from J.R.R. Tolkien will be able to play as the new Beorning class, while also traveling to cities controlled by Gondor for the first time.
In an official letter to the community of fans, Aaron Campbell, the executive producer working on the title, explains that his company has long-term plans to add more content, introduce new mechanics and follow the various storylines that span Middle-Earth.
Gamers will be able to experience a trip to the city of Dol Amroth, a port controlled by Gondor that’s connected to the narrative of the Army of the Dead, led by Aragorn.
Later, gamers will also explore Pelargir, in the delta of the great Anduin river, where gamers can fight against or with the Pirates of Umbar.
The two updates will also add more levels for player characters and there are also plans to introduce a new Dead Marshes zone.
Turbine will also add the Beorning class, which is the first new one since the launch of the Mines of Moria expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online.
The company explains that, “Beornings are noted in The Lord of the Rings trilogy as a race of Man, with close origins to the Rohirrim and the Men of Dale. Most Men are not shape-changers, so we envision the Beorning as a light armor casting class with a focus on control of the battlefield. When a Beorning gathers sufficient rage, they may transform into a mighty bear.”
The developers will consult with the Player Council on the final design of the class before it is officially revealed to the public later in 2014.
Turbine also says that it will not implement any major changes to housing this year and that all the tweaks will be minor as the studio reviews the entire system.
A combat rebalancing that will increase difficulty for high level characters is also considered and there are plans to add a new Epic Battle for long-term fans of the MMO.
At the same time, The Lord of the Rings Online will receive a new feature for Kinships, which is designed to encourage more social play.
Turbine also plans to launch a new edition of the Hobnanigans, aka as Chicken Hockey festival, a special event for the Bree-fields.
You can expect new weekend boosts and events as we go forward.