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LOTRO Goes Russian
Posted by Mike Fahey at 3:40 AM on January 29, 2008
They're taking the Hobbits to Kaliningrad! Russia is a gigantic country with approximately 142 million people, and not enough of them are MMO addicts. The gaming industry is slowly realising this, with Blizzard readying the Russian-language version of World of Warcraft and now Turbine announcing an agreement to bring Lord of the Rings Online to the Hobbit-hungry populace. IT Territory LLC, a major Russian online game publisher, will be handling the publication and operation of the game in their country.
"The Lord of the Rings Online has taken North America and Europe by storm and we are committed to bringing the game to fans around the world," said Jim Crowley, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. "ITT is a major player in online gaming and we look forward to partnering with them to bring The Lord of the Rings Online to Russia."Hooray! The world has come so far, hasn't it? Remember when Russians were the enemy in all those 1980's video games and movies? We were all such dorks back then.
TURBINE PARTNERS WITH IT TERRITORY TO BRING THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™ TO RUSSIAWESTWOOD, MA -- January 28, 2008 -- Turbine, Inc. and IT Territory LLC (ITT) today announced a new relationship for the distribution of The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™, the PC Game of the Year 2007. Under the terms of the agreement between Turbine and IT Territory, a leading publisher of online games in Russia and Eastern Europe, will operate and manage publication of The Lord of the Rings Online in the fast-growing Russian market.
"Our vision is to lead the growth of online games in Russia," said Igor Matsanyuk, President of IT Territory. "We believe that The Lord of the Rings Online is the perfect franchise for us to deliver to our audience as part of this strategy. Our partnership with Turbine underscores the tremendous success, attention to detail, and transparency that our operations bring to the best game developers in the world as they seek to enter the massive Russian market."
"The Lord of the Rings Online has taken North America and Europe by storm and we are committed to bringing the game to fans around the world," said Jim Crowley, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. "ITT is a major player in online gaming and we look forward to partnering with them to bring The Lord of the Rings Online to Russia."
The Lord of the Rings Online delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places and monsters from the most beloved fantasy adventure of all time. From the quaint surroundings of the Shire to Angmar, the vile kingdom of the Witch-king, players will experience the world of Middle-earth as never before. The Lord of the Rings Online is currently operating in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. For more information about The Lord of the Rings Online, please visit www.lotro.com.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
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Pinguin
Posted 4:54 AM 29/1/08
In other news, Brazil still with Ragnarok. Only.
Pinguin
InsidiousTuna (XBL and PSN)
Posted 4:54 AM 29/1/08
I haven't played in months, and I think I'm only like level 7, but I may go check back in soon. I don't like all the typical MMO crap, raiding and all that, whatever that means, but I do like striking up random conversations with people.
InsidiousTuna (XBL and PSN)
Bellamy
Posted 4:54 AM 29/1/08
I had never seen that video before, and I was about to sleep, but I think they took my dreams to Isengard.
Bellamy
nem
Posted 4:54 AM 29/1/08
Lotro is fairly healthy with regards to players Mire.. :)
Not saying its the same success as WoW is, but overall the servers are thriving. Its hard for me to say how other servers are but from reports from the EU forums, aswell as considering im playing on the smallest EU server its doing nicely. :)
Oh, and the game is actually good. For us that dont like WoW its a nice option.
nem
evslin
Posted 4:54 AM 29/1/08
In Soviet Russia, the Hobbits take YOU to Isengard!
evslin
Mire
Posted 4:54 AM 29/1/08
'by storm', you say? Pull the other one...
Mire
TalKeaton
Posted 4:54 AM 29/1/08
But...but if they take the Hobbits to Kaliningrad, how will they destroy the Ring? Our fates depend on it!
TalKeaton
Tonx
Posted 4:54 AM 29/1/08
Hobbit-Hungry Populace playing as Hungry Hungry Hobbits.
Tonx
Dimipapa
Posted 4:54 AM 29/1/08
what you say?
Dimipapa
openedge1
Posted 6:53 AM 29/1/08
I knew it...
The USA's final plan for the Cold War.
Bore the Russians to death with LOTRO. The single most boring MMO on the planet...
Go figure!
openedge1
Mire
Posted 6:53 AM 29/1/08
@nem: Yeah, I suppose if a new MMOG doesn't disappear without trace up against WoW, it's considered a huge success these days.
Mire
Billkwando
Posted 7:52 AM 29/1/08
@evslin:
In soviet russia, ring lords you?
Billkwando
bakana
Posted 8:53 AM 29/1/08
Wasn't there a story recently about some Russians killing each other over WoW? Isn't it out over there? Were they just not playing a Russian language version of it?
bakana
SquallSeeD31
Posted 8:53 AM 29/1/08
@Pinguin: There is a reason for that, you know. Some games have gone so far as to entirely ban the Brazilian region for non-licensing issues (See: Pangya for starters)
SquallSeeD31
dissimilis
Posted 11:52 AM 29/1/08
@bakana:
They were playing on a private Lineage 2 server.
dissimilis