The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar (commonly abbreviated to LOTRO, LotRO) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for Microsoft Windows set in a fantasy universe based upon J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings. It takes place during the time period of The Lord of the Rings.
Source: Wikipedia, "The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar," available under the CC-BY-SA License.
Expansions (updates are free unless shaded):
Expansion
Release Date
Character Level Ceiling
Major Sub-system additions
New areas
Other
Shadows of Angmar
24 Apr 2007
Initial Launch
Ered Luin, Shire, Bree-Land, Lone-lands, North Downs, Trollshaws, Misty Mountains, Angmar, Ettenmoors
Volume I, Books 1, 2, 3
Free update
Jun 2007
Evendim
Free update
Aug 2007
Reputation
Bartering
Free update
Oct 2007
Housing
Free update
Apr 2008
Forochel
Free update
Jul 2008
Eregion
Mines of Moria
Nov 2008
60
Legendary Weapons
Moria
Lothlórien
Warden class introduced
Rune keeper class introduced
Siege of Mirkwood
Sep 2009
65
Skirmish system
Mirkwood
Free update
Sep 2010
Enedwaith
Update 1 ("Journey to Winter-Home")
Nov 2010
Barter wallet
Tasks
First post Free-to-play (F2P) expansion
Moria, Lothlórien, Mirkwood, Enedwaith opened to F2P
Ered Luin revamp
F2P level cap raised to 65
Update 2 ("Echoes of the Dead")
21 Mar 2011 (U.S.)
24 March 2011 (Eur.)
Volume III Book 3 added
Evendim revamp
Update 3 ("Lost Legends of Eriador")
23 May 2011
new instances and skirmishes
Rise of Isengard
27 Sep 2011
75
Dunland
Gap of Rohan
Isengard
Volume III Book 4 added
Update 5 ("Armies of Isengard")
12 Dec 2011
Volume III Book 5 added
Barter currencies unified
Update 6 ("Shores of the Great River")
12 Mar 2012
The Great River
Volume III Book 6 added
Update 7 ("Shades of the Past")
14 May 2012
Revamp of Fornost Instance
Moria revamp
Riders of Rohan
Oct 2012
85
Mounted combat
East Rohan
Update 9 ("Against the Shadow")
17 Dec 2012
Open Tapping/Remote Looting
Moria revamp Part II
Update 10 ("Against the Shadow Part II)
6 Mar 2013
Update 11 ("Treachery of the White Hand")
13 May 2013
Wildermore
Volume III Book 10 added
Helm's Deep
20 Nov 2013
95
Epic Battles
Trait Trees
West Rohan
Epic story Volume III Book 11-13
Update 13 ("The Breaking of Isengard")
14 Apr 2014
Entwood
Increased mail & inventory storage
Epic story Book 14
Update 14 ("Paths of the Dead")
14 Jul 2014
100
Essence System
West Gondor
Epic story Volume IV begun
Update 14.2
15 Sep 2014
Dead Marshes
Update 15 ("Gondor Aflame")
5 Nov 2014
Beornings
Central Gondor
Update 15.2
4 Feb 2015
Roving Threats
Update 16 ("Ashes of Osgiliath")
4 May 2015
Imbuement System
East Gondor
Volume IV Book 3
Update 17 ("The Siege of Minas Tirith")
28 Oct 2015
Old Anórien
Volume IV Book 4
Update 18 ("The Battle of Pelennor Fields")
11 Apr 2016
105
Far Anórien
Volume IV Book 5 and 6
Update 19 ("The March of the King")
18 Oct 2016
Premium Housing - Belfalas
Cape of Balfalas
North Ithilien
Volume IV Book 7 "The Trap"
Update 20 ("Battle of the Black Gate")
20 Mar 2017
Dagorlad
Volume IV Book 8
Update 21 ("Mordor")
2 Aug 2017
115
Allegiances
Mordor
Volume IV Book 9
Update 22 ("Legacy of the Necromancer")
6 Mar 2018
North Mirkwood
Volume IV Book 9 Chap 5 and 6
Update 23 ("Where Dragons Dwell")
9 Oct 2018
120
Iron Hills
Volume IV Book 9 Chap 7 and 8
Update 24 ("Vales of Anduin")
4 Jun 2019
Vales of Anduin
Update 25 ("Minas Morgul")
5 Nov 2019
Morgul Vale & Mordor Besieged
Update 26 ("Mists of Wilderland")
22 Apr 2020
Wilderland
Update 27.2
4 Aug 2020
130
Premium Housing - Rohan
Update 28 ("War of Three Peaks")
20 Oct 2020
Mission system
Elderslade
Update 29 ("The Wildwood")
17 Mar 2021
Wildwood
Update 32 ("Rangers and Ruins")
16 Feb 2022
Erebor Housing
Angle of Mitheithel
Update 34 ("Before the Shadow")
15 Nov 2022
140
Delvings
Swanfleet/Cardolan
Volume I Books 1-3
Update 37
29 Aug 2023
Stat Squish
River Hobbits/Lyndleby Housing
Update 38 ("Corsairs of Umbar")
8 Nov 2023
150
The Shield Isles, Cape of Umbar
Update 39 ("Arenas of Conflict")
13 Mar 2024
Update 40 ("Beneath the Surface")
Umbar-môkh (catacombs of Umbar Baharbel)
Update 41 ("On the Wing")
31 Jul 2024
Update 42 ("Legacy of Morgoth")
6 Nov 2024
Valley of Ikorban (Haradwaith)
Update 43 (&quo