PAX Prime 2011 – Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Preview

Ever since moving to the free-to-play model, Lord of the Rings Online has been enjoying great success, with even the cheapskates among us able to make a run for the gates of Mordor. It seems obvious then that penny-pinching gamers will be ecstatic over the game’s upcoming expansion, Rise of Isengard, the studio finally revealing some much desired details at PAX Prime.

For starters, three new regions will be introduced to the game. In addition to allowing players to battle their way towards the evil wizard Saruman’s tower in the land of Isengard, there’s also the perilous forests of Dunland to traverse, while the Gap of Rohan will require defending from the endless legions of Sauron. For players who believed themselves masters of the realm, the level cap has been newly raised to 75, allowing brave warriors to reach even greater heights. And perhaps most excitingly is the newly announced 24-player raid on the den of Draigoch, a gigantic battle between your clan and this ancient dragon.

To be sure there’s plenty to like in this expansion. Whether the game’s new thrills will inspire gamers to purchase a bit of premium content remains to be seen… though we’ll be sure to find out when the game launches September 27th.