Fuelling Rumours: Why LOTRO won't release Gondor this year

So while everyone has been rumour mongering about what the new class may be in 2014, many seem to be taking for granted that LOTRO will naturally be doing Gondor. I don't think this is going to be the case and here's a few reasons why:

1. It's too soon.

While Tolkien takes us directly from Helm's Deep to Gondor (with some quick layovers), LOTRO isn't going to. Simply put, it's too soon. This MMO, unlike most others, is tied to a strict story-line and when it ends, it ends. Once you do Gondor, you have to do Mordor, and that's pretty much it. Sure, there may be some follow up stuff, like "scouring the Shire" or "the Grey Havens", or even some other clean up stuff (which is mentioned in the appendices of LOTR) but the big shebang will be over by that point and things just winding down. Expect Turbine to put as much time as possible (within reason) between these critical chapters of the canon.

2. Look at the map!

No, seriously, go look at it. There's two things I want you to notice about it:

First of all, there's a whole bunch of areas in "Rhovanion" with greyed out names. These are areas just waiting to be done. Notice that "Eriador" has no more places like this. Eriador = done, but Rhovanion = lots left. So expect some further development of at least one of these areas before Gondor comes along.

Secondly, notice that there is no Gondor. Nothing South of the Ered Nimrais has been shown on any map except the big "Middle-Earth" map. Turbine might surprise me by releasing a new map area while ignoring half a dozen areas in Rhovanion, but I doubt it. My guess is that when Gondor shows up it will be thoroughly expansive, including not just places like Dol Amroth, but also going as far down as Umbar (let's go show those uppity rebels a thing or two). But the real reason I doubt we will be seeing a new map with Gondor in 20114 is...

3. A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz

This letter, still up on the LOTRO forums, is from mid-December 2013 and has Kate Paiz effectively telling us point blank that we will not be seeing a new expansion in 2014, but that they will be developing more content and revamping a number of aspects of the game. She also mentions the Path of the Dead and the Dead Marshes as examples of new content (which apparently will be free to VIPs, yay!). The paths of the dead are sort of a no-brainer since we can already go up to the door. However, she mentions that this will be in keeping with the lore content, meaning that both areas may only exist as quest related instances or session plays. However, the Dagorlad area is just over the river from East Rohan, so that's probably our best bet for zone content.


Whatever comes, I think it's fair to say that our expectations are high, and rightfully so. Turbine has done an over all excellent job of turning out new material consistently. Combined with other much wanted revamps, we may start to see server lag again.