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 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 Delvings Swanfleet/Cardolan Current Areas: Area Release Date Character Levels Other The Shire Apr 2007 1-13 Included in launch Ered Luin Apr 2007 1-15 Included in launch Bree-Land Apr 2007 1-24 Included in launch Lone-lands Apr 2007 22-35 Included in launch Trollshaws Apr 2007 30-50 Included in launch Misty Mountains Apr 2007 39-50 Included in launch Angmar Apr 2007 40-52 Included in launch Ettenmoors Apr 2007 PvP Included in launch Evendim Jun 2007 32-40 Free update Forochel Apr 2008 39-52 Free update Eregion Jul 2008 45-55 Free update Moria Nov 2008 51-60 Mines of Moria expansion Lothlórien Nov 2008 55-60 Mines of Moria expansion Mirkwood Sep 2009 61-65 Siege of Mirkwood expansion Enedwaith Sep 2010 55-60 Free update* Dunland Sep 2011 66-75 Rise of Isengard expansion Great River Mar 2012 70-75 Free update* Eastern Rohan Oct 2012 75-85 Riders of Rohan expansion Western Rohan Nov 2013 86-95 Helm's Deep expansion West Gondor 14 Jul 2014 96-100 Free update* Central Gondor 5 Nov 2014 96-100 Free update* East Gondor 4 May 2015 96-100 Free update* Old Anórien 28 Oct 2015 96-100 Free update* Far Anórien 11 Apr 2016 100-105 Free update* North Ithilien 18 Oct 2016 100-105 Free update* Dagorlad 21 Mar 2017 100-105 Free update* Mordor 2 Aug 2017 105-115 Mordor expansion North Mirkwood 6 Mar 2018 105-115 Free update* Iron Hills 9 Oct 2018 116-120 Free update* Vales of Anduin 4 Jun 2019 116-120 Free update* Minas Morgul 5 Nov 2019 121-130 Minas Morgul Expansion Wilderland 22 Apr 2020 121-130 Free update* Elderslade 20 Oct 2020 121-130 Free update* Wildwood 17 Mar 2021 45 Free update* Angle of Mitheithel 16 Feb 2022 45 Free update* Swanfleet 15 Nov 2022 32 Free update* Cardolan 15 Nov 2022 32 Before the Shadow Expansion All update content is available to VIP players. After F2P (Free to Play) model went into effect, not all features of all updates were "free." Sources: LOTRO website, "https://www.lotro.com/en/explore/" LOTRO blog re Update 14, http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/06/12/lord-of-the-rings-onlines-update-14-opens-west-gondor-raises-l/ LOTRO site re Update 14,https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues&p=7200888#post7200888