The Lord of the Rings Online has been around since 2007 when it launched as a subscription-based MMO. Three years later in 2010, it switched over to a free-to-play model and has been supported ever since. Recently, however, it looks as if the game has started losing some steam.
Developer Turbine has announced that it will be closing all but five of the worlds for each region. In the US, the worlds that will remain open are Arkenstone, Crickhollow, Landroval, Gladden, and Brandywine. For the EU, the worlds are Belegaer, Gwaihir, Sirannon, Laurelin, and Evernight. Players are able to transfer their characters to one of the remaining worlds with no rush as the developer has said this process will work indefinitely.
While it is certainly disappointing to see such a long-standing game reduce its size, it is good to know that players can now expect a more active game world full of players they have yet to encounter. These cost-reducing measures may buy the game some more time for its faithful fellowship. For more on all the MMOs you love, keep checking back with Gamespresso.