Anyone else notice that the last 4 announcements on the main page are LOTR related? One for our beloved game, one for JIME, another for the anniversary edition of LOTR The Board Game and the livestream with JIME as it’s cover.

After the long hiatus it’s nice to get a ton of love from FFG. Especially leading up to unto their annual livestream and future products announcement. And with all of the above it seems to me at least like LOTR isn’t as dead as many think it is after this cycle. They obviously recognize that it’s a popular property and are still pushing even the older LOTR games.

Also there was the interview with the head of Asmodee who stated (More or less) that the market was flooded with games and that a focus will be on expanding existing games with established lines. This definitely describes the LCG.

So regardless of what things look like post-break, I’m optimistic that we are going to get more content, and here is hoping for some more campaign material and contracts!

Anyone else pick up on this and have any hopes or thoughts?

I really want to believe that, but a lot has been indicating otherwise, and the LOTR-related announcements at the same time is probably just a coincidence. Fingers crossed, though - but from what i have heard, playtesters have not received new material to test for a while. If we get something new, it's gonna be a loooong time from now, and this break could not be the best for the playerbase.

I think Zura is right, it really feels like the game has run its course. Its my favorite game, and there is plenty of content, enough to last a lifetime, so Im actually ok with it ending here. Personally I think FFG hasn't given a 'ton of love' to the game in a loooong time.

Granted covid happened, but it was 4 long months between them even announcing pack 5 and 6.

8 hours ago, MikeGracey said:

I think Zura is right, it really feels like the game has run its course. Its my favorite game, and there is plenty of content, enough to last a lifetime, so Im actually ok with it ending here. Personally I think FFG hasn't given a 'ton of love' to the game in a loooong time.

Granted covid happened, but it was 4 long months between them even announcing pack 5 and 6.

I'm at peace with the game ending but I think ffg should complete the release of nightmare saga deck.

It's not fair to the players base not to compete that. Then if they stop new POD or decide not to release nightmare versions of latest cycle, ok that would be acceptable, but saga nightmare deck should be completed.

That we lost our main designer to Champions is not good news for our games, since AFAICT Champions is selling well. Champions may be the reason that Rhun and Mordor were combined into a single cycle.

With that said, FFG obviously is still using their LOTR license, and while they have the license there's always hope for future content. Further, if the popularity of Champions is attributed partially to its distribution style, LOTR may be seen as having potential uncaptured upside if revived with a new release format. Champions is also creating new LCG players that might be interested in something a little tougher and more complex. And there's still the new LOTR-based series to come out, which may stimulate interest in Tolkien as the movies did.

So I think it's possible that more content may be generated, and as long as FFG thinks it is possible, I would expect reprints to be maintained. While there's life there's hope, and need of vittles.

Keep purchasing packs, bringing in new players, and let them feel the demand, and perhaps we can hope that it will return some day!

(And there will be a neutral hero version of Aragorn to make it all up to us!)

The Lotr Lcg is old, so the pace may get slower, but the Lotr Lcg is still among the most popular lcgs! When I present in convention Ffg Lcg games, the Lotr of the rings still is the most popular, the second is AH and the rest becomes far behind! So Yes, Lotr is doing just fine!

lotr is something where parents will come with their children, Also fantasy fans will stop by it. AH is for gamers and ropleplayers. Competitive Lcg... well Are interest by competitive players and not too Many of those around. SW was reasonable popular and people did like the deckbuilding mechanic, it was less complex to card game noobies than most. New Marvel Lcg will most likely be big hit when convetions starts again, but I Expect that Lotr still gets reasonable audience among new players.

Inclined to agree that this game has run its course (where on Middle-Earth has not been visited?). Great to hear that the digital version of the game has been saved though. ☺️

Here's some places on Middle Earth not yet visited:

Far Harad

Rhun

Khand

Forochel

IIRC, there was a report that Caleb intended to have the current cycle head East into Rhun and have the following cycle head into Mordor, but those were combined to get him off LOTR and onto Champions sooner.

We've also not been to western Gondor (Pinneth Gelin, Andrast (not on land at least), Druwaith Iaur), nor to Minhiriath, the Shire, and around the river Lhûn. Those areas are pretty empty on the maps, but then again, so was the map for Vengeance of Mordor. So there could be a cycle in those areas perhaps.

Rohan is an area we really haven’t explored yet.

And the shire plus brea.

We need a full cycle there focused on drinking, food, mathom exchange and smoking rings contests....

I will never consider the game complete until we have a Lobelia card.

We never even got Goldberry.

We already know LOTR LCG is ending with the current cycle. If the number of forum posts about a game are any indicator, LOTR LCG is certainly the most popular of FFG's LCG's. Moving Caleb to Marvel Champions was important for FFG to make that game successful. I'm hoping it will come back in the future in some compatible format, but with the myriad of layoffs and staff reduction at Asmodee, it's no surprise they are shifting people around to setup different lines. While Caleb is certainly a huge LOTR fan, you can tell Marvel is where is heart is. I'm sure he jumped at the chance to develop that game. Looking to the immediate future, picking up Journeys is probably the way to go for the mean time. Fortunately, LOTR LCG is ending by FFG's own accord and not due to a loss of license or other form of mismanagement that abruptly ends so many games these days. Once MC is of the ground, in a year or two we may see LOTR return.

It may be false hope, but I greatly prefer saying the game is going on "hiatus" rather than is ending.

I know for my part I have been a doomsayer since last year when I decided to complete my collection as fast as I could. I still stand in that camp, but I will be the first to say I would be thrilled to be wrong. Here's hoping!

16 hours ago, TheSpitfired said:

I know for my part I have been a doomsayer since last year when I decided to complete my collection as fast as I could. I still stand in that camp, but I will be the first to say I would be thrilled to be wrong. Here's hoping!

I rushed to acquire all the Nightmare decks this summer. I held off for a long time, being uncertain as to whether I would enjoy them... but then panic set in as I saw many of them go out of stock in stores across Canada, and even on Asmodee's own website. I suspected that those would be low priority for reprints at this stage in the game's life cycle, so I got them all while I could, just in case. I even ended up ordering one from the UK... which makes for one **** of an expensive Nightmare pack (it hasn't arrived yet, so we'll see what kind of duty gets slapped on), but oh well.

I've since played through the first 9 Nightmare quests, and no regrets so far!

I've also been pleasantly surprised by The Wizard's Quest, which I did not think I would enjoy (I have no interest in playing this game competitively), so have ordered all of the custom scenario kits, as well. So long as FFG keeps the core set in print, I think releasing Custom Scenario kits for post-Khazad Dum cycles would be a good idea, if only by allowing new player a taste of each cycle for a fraction of the cost, and without having to endure the frustration of hunting down expensive/out of print packs from the original cycles.

In theory, the scenario packs would be a really easy way to continue going forward, but the problem is I don't think there are any places explored in the game as well as Mirkwood and Moria were.

On 7/16/2020 at 1:06 PM, TwiceBorn said:

I rushed to acquire all the Nightmare decks this summer. I held off for a long time, being uncertain as to whether I would enjoy them... but then panic set in as I saw many of them go out of stock in stores across Canada, and even on Asmodee's own website. I suspected that those would be low priority for reprints at this stage in the game's life cycle, so I got them all while I could, just in case. I even ended up ordering one from the UK... which makes for one **** of an expensive Nightmare pack (it hasn't arrived yet, so we'll see what kind of duty gets slapped on), but oh well.

Ha Ha! I’m your limey twin mirror. I did the same here in Britain and have one heck of an expensive The Road Darkens Nightmare pack from America. Happy to report I’m the proud owner of everything printed thus far. I would be happy for the game to continue even if it needs to be in a reduced release schedule. Scouring of the Shire is a must have and I will never consider the game as complete until then!

11 minutes ago, David&Anna said:

Ha Ha! I’m your limey twin mirror. I did the same here in Britain and have one heck of an expensive The Road Darkens Nightmare pack from America. Happy to report I’m the proud owner of everything printed thus far. I would be happy for the game to continue even if it needs to be in a reduced release schedule. Scouring of the Shire is a must have and I will never consider the game as complete until then!

My British import ended up being The Drowned Ruins NM pack... still waiting for it to show up at my door.

I echo your other sentiments/wishes.

Cheers!

I dont think there are any really promising areas to explore left. Also, there are no more factions to create really. Elves, Dwarves, and men have all become established archetypes. If the game comes back I highly doubt it will be in the form we had it (cycles, deluxes, adventure packs).

The word before the hiatus was already that it would be a different form when it came back. If it comes back I expect it to be more free-standing, perhaps like champions with player cards and quests being completely separate. I would love to see something like this:

1) Campaign boxes -- something that contains 3-5 quests and no player cards, with some sort of optional campaign mode connecting the quests.

2) Player decks -- a completely playable, solo-capable deck, with supplemental cards not in the deck to fill out new cards to 3x and provide support for spheres not included. May have some repeat cards and alternate-art heroes, but has at least one brand-new hero.

3) Saga expansions telling a story outside the timeframe of the narrow window used for the game. There are *lots* of stories in the appendices that could make compelling expansions, allowing new historical hero/allies from the periods depicted. Thorongil's raid on Umbar. The Dwarf-Goblin War. The Fall of Arnor. The original War of the Ring. Helm Hammerhand. Kin-strife. Elladan and Elrohir rescuing their mother from the Goblins. The Ents searching for the Entwives. Heck, both the main text and the expansion give us stories from the Silmarillion, which could be a veritable treasure trove.

It's true that the major racial groups associated with the Free Peoples all have their archtypes: Eagles, Silvan, Noldor, Dwarf, Rohan, Gondor, Outlands, Dunedain, Dale, Woodmen. We also have Harad, which reminds us that free people oppose Sauron outside the narrow realms of the west, as Aragorn knew from his trips south eand East. We see non-evil men along the Running River in the current cycle, but they get no archtype and we never get east of Rhun. Woodmen are thin on the ground and not fully developed. I think it's likely that more than Dale and Woodmen exist of the free Northern relatives of Rohirrim. We haven't even met the Snow People yet.

Also, there's no reason for racial archtypes to be singular -- for Dwarves we have swarm and mining, separated not by race but by mechanic. We may have traits well represented, but we certainly have not reached the maximum number of possible racial archtypes, let alone the many non-racial archtypes that can be created by even a single hero.

There is much that could be done. Whether it will be done is unfortunately going to be a business decision, not a labor of love.

Great points Dale, we also still need to go and spend time in the north west and the shire, but that isn’t to say we can’t go revisit a place. Same thing with player card locations, and player cards that you can put in the staging area like Huorns.

The problem is you can say that we haven't been here yet or explored this archetpye to its fullest yet, but at what point will the community be satisfied? It seems to me like they will never really will be. No sooner is the latest cycle 'spoiled' than people are talking about things they don't have, rather than the things we did get.