Turbine has been going “Lord of the Rings Online is Free!” for some time. Now the switch to free to play has been going on (and quite successfully, I read). As an old LOTRO player, I wanted to jump back in, but it looks like Codemasters, the company that takes care of subscriptions in Europe, still didn’t get the memo.
I think I vaguely remember some old emails from them telling me that the subs were going to be handled by Turbine directly after the switch to Free to Play, but it looks like they still control access to the game this side of the pond; if I try to reactivate my old subscription, or create a new account, I get diverted on the site managed by Codemasters and invited to shell out what other customers in the US get for free.
So, um, did the switch happen here in Europe? Or should I create a new account somewhere different?
The launch of FTP in Europe was pulled 2 days before live date. No reason beyond vague hand-waving generalities were given and all we’ve heard since is content-free ‘reassurances’ that they are working to resolve issues they have stated they never will explain and things may happen in the next ‘few weeks’.
Want my WAG?
LOTRO in Europe is about to be snatched back just like DDO was and we’re just being strung along by Codemasters until they’ve sucked every last possible dime they can from us.
They have now even forbidden any mention of US FTP on their forums.
I wouldn’t swap.
All you’d be doing is signing up for a DDO style many months delay until your character is (partially) transferred to a US Server (and you give Turbine money as I’m certain they won’t honour memberships you or I paid Codemasters for.)