This is an April Fools joke. No such expansion has been announced.
Turbine gave us a press release this morning announcing a stand-alone expansion coming spring 2013. Adventures of Bilbo!
Adventures of Bilbo launches in the spring of 2013 with a new story taking place around the time of “The Hobbit”, includes existing lands around the story along with new ones such as Mirkwood, Dale and the Iron Hills, there is also a new water mount system and much more!
AoB is expected to be around the size of the recent Rise of Isengard expansion. It will be a stand-alone expansion since it takes place several years before Lord of the Rings.
This is to be another digital expansion similar to how Isengard was released (no in-store boxed copies).
NEW FEATURES:
- Experience the Adventures of Bilbo – Join with the Bilbo and creep through Mirkwood; join the battle of the five armies; forge alliances with the Elves and Dwarves; and aid Bilbo on his epic tale through Middle Earth!
- Introducing a new water mount system – Ride the waters of Middle Earth on a variety of buoyant devices. Ride with Bilbo in barrels to escape you foes. Customize your barrel and level its skills over time to aid Bilbo on his epic journey. Mount your barrels and gather your fellows to flee from evil together. Taking a lighter tone as with the books players can expect to have features such as this one that would not fit in The Lord of the Rings.
- Advance to level 60 – Begin the legend in the Adventures of Bilbo! Experience the adventure that started it all in the epic story, and gain new skills and deeds as you face new challenges on your journey to 60!
Turbine goes on to explain that players have the option to auto-level to 40 as the adventure does not start until players get to the Trollshaws. While this zone might feel very similar, players will be able watch the trolls turn into stone. The real adventure starts when players get to the Misty Mountains with an expanded zone. The meat of the expansion however will be Mirkwood. Players will be able to level from around 45 to around level 58 in Mirkwood. Players can expect to see some of the darkest and creepiest things in Middle Earth, mostly dealing with goblins and spiders.
To get the players the last two levels they will go on to the small zones of Dale and the Iron Hills. Here players can expect to do help fight against Smaug. The content will end with a level 60 24 man raid to attempt to take down Smaug. Players will be able to escape the cave with one piece of loot if they are fast enough and can prove themselves as real burglars.
Players missing the depth of Dwarves, Elves and Hobbits found in the early zones will not be missing much longer. This stand-alone expansion will allow players to get a nice look into the lives of each of these races. I am glad to see this because it will get old when we go to all these man-themed zones that are coming this fall and beyond.
The press release also stated that VIPs will get the stand-alone expansion at half price and that Turbine Points will transfer to this new stand-alone expansion. Also released was that players can expect to have some cool pre-order in-game items such as an invisible ring and Bilbo’s barrel.
If you are wondering how/why Turbine will be releasing this expansion just a few months after they released Riders of Rohan it is because they split into two teams. They wanted to be in the middle of “The Hobbit” movies to get the maximum amount of hype out of possible players. There is a very good chance that in 2013 we could see two expansions for LotRO if two teams will be working on the content.
In conclusion 2012 and 2013 seem to be exciting years for LotRO as it is showing more life than ever. I am really looking forward to see a lighter hearted version of LotRO as they follow the events of “The Hobbit” in Adventures of Bilbo.
April 1, 2012 at 8:11 am
Sounds cool, but today is April 1st
April 1, 2012 at 8:16 am
It sounds great! If it was, in fact, real that’s it… I have to admit you had me for a sec there.
April 1, 2012 at 8:18 am
0.o the flabber is now gasted.
April 1, 2012 at 8:24 am
I was so excited then I read the part about customising barrels. And then I saw the date.
That was mean!
Still I hope they do a hobbit expansion that would be awesome
April 1, 2012 at 8:42 am
Haha! April Fools!
April 1, 2012 at 8:43 am
Well played sir, well played.
April 1, 2012 at 8:51 am
Excellent, high quality April-foolery. Top marks.
April 1, 2012 at 8:52 am
OOOO!!! Custom barrels!!!!
(I love today)
April 1, 2012 at 9:08 am
Thanks you two… Now I have to go around today with this hook in my mouth that I bit on so hard.
April 1, 2012 at 9:16 am
You know… I would actually pay for getting that, if it weren’t a joke
April 1, 2012 at 9:20 am
Garh!!! You got me! lol
April 1, 2012 at 9:21 am
Nicely done.
April 1, 2012 at 9:24 am
Awwwww. I was so excited. Then I looked at the calender.
Very well-played, though.
April 1, 2012 at 9:44 am
Turbine, please take inspiration from this and make something similar become reality! I can’t be alone wanting to see some of the ‘The Hobbit’ stuff materialise as content in LOTRO =)
Northern Mirkwood would be awesome. A Smaug-raid would be VERY awesome! Even just making a ‘The Hobbit’ festival with a zone up in Iron Hills would be awesome!
April 1, 2012 at 10:00 am
I got to the last paragraph till it hit me.
I am, in fact, an April Fool.
April 1, 2012 at 10:14 am
Well done! You had me until “new water mount system.” I sure wish it was all true though!
April 1, 2012 at 10:55 am
April fools! But in fact, I would like to see more of Mirkwood, Dale, the Lonely Mountain…
April 1, 2012 at 11:22 am
the real version needs to start in the Shire, be larger, and include the Battle of the 5 armies
April 1, 2012 at 11:53 am
…hook, line and sinker
April 1, 2012 at 12:13 pm
You sir are one of the smoothest pranksters April 1 has ever seen — well played, completely humourous yet just almost believable.
April 1, 2012 at 1:21 pm
I want this to be real.
April 1, 2012 at 1:32 pm
Haha that’s a good one ! xD
April 1, 2012 at 1:34 pm
That was awesome. I was almost hooked until I read that leveling doesn’t start til 40 and then I remembered it April Fools Day.
April 1, 2012 at 2:08 pm
Good one
lol,at first i had to think a little!
-Borntown of Landroval
April 1, 2012 at 2:47 pm
Believed every word! Was about to post my own ebullient reply when I glanced at a couple comments first and got my bubble burst.
Your best article yet, Andang, among many good ones.
April 1, 2012 at 2:57 pm
XD you didn’t have me fooled for a second. Now we’re gonna see pre-order offers for AoB from all the major retailers. I did have a good laugh at the barrel mount, though.
April 1, 2012 at 3:11 pm
You had me until “water mount system” in the first paragraph
That would be awesome but — yeah right! haha
April 1, 2012 at 4:35 pm
April fooolishnessssssssssssss!
April 1, 2012 at 5:14 pm
Wish Turbine would use this and Survival: Hobbiton
April 1, 2012 at 5:22 pm
whuut?
it wasen’t real?…
April 1, 2012 at 5:43 pm
So can woodworkers craft First Age Barrels? What are the mats needed?
April 1, 2012 at 6:27 pm
Wood Planks, Steel Bands and Barrow Cheese
April 2, 2012 at 12:37 am
There was a rumor months back that this was seriously happening. I really hope it does happen. It seems like it’d be such a waste for Turbine and WB to NOT capitalize on this. Even just add a bunch of new stuff to encourage new players once the movie comes out.
Oh well lol
April 2, 2012 at 3:14 pm
What a brutal joke.
April 1, 2013 at 10:17 am
I was just looking at this again, since it’s April Fools again today. I laughed out-loud again at the “barrel” idea. I sort of wish I could have a barrel to ride around Evendim with. :p Me own custom barrel! So awesome!
April 1, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Yeah I wish I could have a barrel ride but oh well. Glad this is still entertaining people and at least this was somewhat correct with the update 10 instances….kind of funny how true this ended up being.