'Lord of the Rings Online' Expanding This Fall

Lord of the Rings Online has been successful enough to warrant its first expansion. The MMORPG was launched in late April 2007 to solid reviews and has since seen a number of free content updates, or Books, as they are called. Although LotR Online is nowhere near the level of popularity of World of Warcraft, which captures over 62% of the market, it is the most successful high profile title to come out since WoW and Everquest II, capturing 1.2% of the market according to MMOGChart.com.

The new expansion will allow access to Moria, the former capital city of the dwarves, and will be aptly titled Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria. The first retail expansion will be released in the Fall and will introduce hundreds of quests, new traits, virtues, skills, and class quests and raise the level cap to level 60 will offering two new classes, The Rune Keeper, and the Warden.

Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria is to be "the beginning of volume II of the LOTRO," and will have six Books packed into the package. Turbine will also be expanding the crafting system with the second volume's release, allowing for the development of more powerful items along with customization.