Most MMOs launch big with sizzle and promise. Inevitably, we see reports that players are leaving Activision Blizzard’s behemoth to check out the new stuff. Then, almost as inevitably, we hear whispers of server merging, of server shutdown, and of developer and player exodus. It’s a cyclical thing. As1UP notes, titles likeTabula Rasa,Warhammer Online, andAge of Conanhave all failed in some way (others in bigger, more impressive ways).
But notLord of the Rings Online, Turbine’s obviously venerable MMO based on Tolkien’s original trilogy. While other big name MMOs not namedWorld of Warcraftsuffer,LOTROkeeps chugging. In fact, its user base is on the rise. In a conversation withVG247, live producer Aaron Campbell said as much when asked about server merging or dwindling player activity.
“If anything, The Lord of the Rings Online is growing. We have no plans to merge servers,” Campbell said.
Nice. It’s good to know that quality MMOs can thrive in the same space as the almightyWorld of Warcraft. We were getting worried.
