On the 23rd of April, Carolyn Koh attended one of five launch parties being held across the United States to celebrate the launch of Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. The party was held, appropriately, at GameStop.

Monday April 23rd, 2007. The launch of Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online (LotRO) was due at midnight for the 24th and Turbine was hosting a launch party at the GameStop here in Bellevue Square, Bellevue Washington as well as in four other cities across the USA.

The festivities started earlier with a dinner for fans organized by IGN and some showed up in costume for the launch event. For midnight on a Monday night, the fan turnout was gratifying for the staff of both Turbine and GameStop.

"This is awesome!" exclaimed Meghan Rodberg, Community Manager for LotRO. "This is a great turnout for the middle of the night on a Monday," as she surveyed the crowd milling around, talking and examining the bags of swag they received with their receipts of for the game.

Read the whole report here.

I like this game. I am still on the fence about buying.

Hahahaha....

Anyway, I like the VoIP myself. Won't play the game ever again, but it's a nice thing to have.

Concerning the pic....

I was going to ask  'Where are all the hobbits?'

But then i realised those four very obviously ate them.

Personally i would never dress up, but to the first 3 or so replys I would suggest if you do not have anything good to say then do not say anything at all.

Carolyn confused a Rider with Death.

Outside of that, good article. Looks like it was alot of fun.

Originally posted by Danmann
No wonder I saw a dude in a cheap cloak chasing a midget run by my house a couple nights ago...

Sorry, Dan. That was me. There's a reason I call my significant other the "little woman". Sadly, you caught us at a bad time, as she had just drunk the last of my lager, and I was a bit upset

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Originally posted by vingvega
HAHA, what a bunch of losers. God, some people take this crap way to far.

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Yeah, I say the same thing, allot, have ya noticed some peoples post counts?

Originally posted by vingvega
HAHA, what a bunch of losers.  God, some people take this crap way to far.

Somehow I just knew some nerd would make fun of other nerds for dressing up for a party.

OK ok it was a launch party for a game but that's about as lame as most parties anyway.

Of course it doesn't help that some folks who dress up don't bother to match the character to thier body size....

I was nice to read about a luanch party thanks for the piece.

**Shudder**

memories of fat birds dressing as "sylph-like" vampire wenches from previous experiences at such parties....

On a more politically correct vein... Its your personal image thats the important one :P

and I personaly was, for a significant number of years, a fully paid up member of the running around with a rubber sword brigade!!

Larp rules.... or at least it used to :)

 Once all you people calling them names get a life outside of high school you will learn that just because someone is different is no reason to call them names or to make fun of them. In your attempt to act cool by name calling all your doing is making yourselves look like the inmature kids that you most likely are.

If people want to have fun with something then let them do so in peace without contempt and slander.

Nice article. Seems like Turbine is really creating a rich sensory experience with this game--the musical instruments seem like a very nice touch to this title. Even though I've read a lot of critics describing the play style of LoTR as "more of the same", I see nothing wrong with an accessible game that does justice to the franchise--something that pleases both gamers and Tolkien enthusiasts. At worst, I'm sure this'll be another good "gateway drug" for people who have never played MMORPGs. I could definitely see myself giving this game a shot.

Originally posted by mrnukem

 Once all you people calling them names get a life outside of high school you will learn that just because someone is different is no reason to call them names or to make fun of them. In your attempt to act cool by name calling all your doing is making yourselves look like the inmature kids that you most likely are.

 

If people want to have fun with something then let them do so in peace without contempt and slander.

 

 

 

 

Well said. Once the kids hit adulthood and mature a bit, they'll realize being a grown-up isn't always easy, and whatever people need to do to get through their day--whether dressing up in outlandish costumes, working out, knitting, or watching Monday Night Football--is all good as long as they're not doing any harm.

Originally posted by godpuppet
These guys set the benchmark for "the worst level of nerdom EVAR".

It gives me satisfaction in knowing there are lower levels of nerdom then playing games 24/7.

I bet the person who owns the tree that lady ripped the branch off of is pissed about right now.

Those aren't even 'outlandish costumes'. They're cheap Halloween stuff.

I have to tell you, I'd much sooner blast people for drinking alcohol at a party than for dressing up for it.

It would help if they dressed appropriately for their body, though. The disease of LARPs everywhere is obese elves with eyeglasses.