A Return To Strategy Informer

Hoodies Face Britain

It’s been a long while (over a year and a half) since I wrote for Strategy Informer and it definitely feels good to be back writing for them. It was the first paid-games-journalism gig that I managed to get and I’m very grateful for the start that they gave me. Appreciation aside, I’ve written a Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) preview. It looks at the state of the game with the Free-2-Play (F2P) upgrade coming this Autumn in mind.

The article can be found over at Strategy Informer and I’ve included an extract below.

Since arriving on the MMO scene in 2007, you can’t help but feel sorry for Lord of the Rings Online. Despite being one of the best online RPGs since Everquest, its highly polished exterior and loyal fan base have failed to draw subscribers away from World of Warcraft. Coming up against Blizzard’s behemoth is akin to climbing Everest – no matter what the IP, no-one seems to be able to stop its dominance.

Having quickly realised its facing a losing battle, Turbine and Warner Brothers have altered the subscription model to Free to Play (with the release of the Shadows of Angmar content pack). It’s an intelligent decision and one that will certainly appease those who refuse to pay for monthly play. We jumped into Middle Earth to see how the quest for the One Ring is coming along.

Tagged: games journalism, Lord of the Rings Online, LOTRO, marco fiori, preview, Review, strategy informer