Warner Bros. has confirmed that The Lord of the Rings Online is going free-to-play this autumn. The move is part of a major update for the game by its developers, Turbine. The model will basically allow gamers to play for free, but will charge them for expansions, quest packs, items and account services. There will also be a VIP program that will allow players to get unlimited access to all of the game’s content for one price. A beta of the new version of the game will start on June 16th. More information about it and the application process is available at http://www.lotro.com.

“Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is bringing quality games based on The Lord of the Rings to multiple platforms, and the franchise’s expansive adventure story lends itself perfectly for LOTRO free-to-play, giving a wide range of players the opportunity to experience the game,” said Jeff Junge, Senior Vice President Online Games and Digital Games Platforms, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “We are focused on expanding our game franchises onto new digital platforms to maximize quality experiences for gamers worldwide and LOTRO’s new model is a great leading example of this.”