If there is a popular piece of intellectual property, be it a novel, comic, or movie, it has the potential of lending itself well to a MMO. Even some single player games have the potential of being turned into a successful MMO. But none of them have as strong a following and seem so perfect for the genre as the Lord of the Rings books. Finally, all Tolkien enthusiasts can rejoice. On September 10, 2010, Lord of the Rings Online will be released for all to enjoy, free of charge.

To give new gamers a taste of where they will be exploring, and the types of heroes they will be creating, developer Turbine has released a trailer. Watch it below:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STy_YZfGvpc

Lord of the Rings Online works as a companion piece to the story of the novels and films, seeing your main character working to help the Fellowship of the Ring complete its task. Along with the iconic lands of Middle Earth (the Shire, Lothlorien, etc.) players will have 800 regions and landmarks to explore.

Lord of the Rings Online, for better or worse, is your typical MMO. It doesn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel in terms of the formula, but rather tries to adapt the expected MMO style to a sought-after property. All the gameplay choices are there, from crafting of items to 12-player skirmishes, to give gamers a chance to create their own Peter Jackson-esque experience. To check out all the game has to offer, head on over to the official site.

Lord of the Rings Onlne - Plays Screen

For me, and most likely for any fan of the property, there isn’t much reason not to try out the game. It’s free of charge, and doesn’t even require a credit card number for registration. It might not seem like it will engross you the way World of Warcraft does, but it will certainly bring moments that any fan of Tolkien’s work will enjoy.

What do you think of Lord of the Rings Online? Does the free to play model serve as greater incentive to try the game out? Let us know in the comments below.

Lord of the Rings Online will be free to play starting September 10, 2010, on the PC.

Source: Lord of the Rings Online