MMO game worlds inevitably get bigger over time as more and more content gets added to the game. The Lord of the Rings Online was already one of the most expansive when the MMO was released in April of 2007, and in 15 years it has steadily grown even larger.
In a post on the r/MMORPG page, user Caeruleanity put that expansion into focus, as a gif graphic created by user Dolmande shows each new addition and the month it was added over the MMORPG's 15-year history. Starting with just the basic zones of Shadows of Angmar, the graphic goes on to show each new landmass added to Middle-earth, from Evendim, Mirkwood, Rohan, Gondor, and all the way to Mordor.
These types of graphics by players are nothing new, but it's an interesting look at how the development of the game world progressed through LotRO's history, going from focusing in on the northern realms early on to finally following the Ring south, completing the War of the Ring, and then swinging back northward as players moved onto Dale, The Lonely Mountain and then eventually Gundabad.
You can check out the graphic in the embed above. What has been your favorite addition to Middle-earth over the last fifteen years? Tell us in the comments below.
(Update: CondarFreed in the forums relayed the information that the map was reposted by Caeruleanity, but created by user Dolmande. We've updated the story to reflect this - thanks for the correction!)
