10 Moments That Saved Dead Video Games

The idea of turning The Lord of the Rings, one of the most beloved and cherished fantasy properties of all time, into an MMORPG is the absolute definition of a no-brainer. 

Offering players the chance to create their own human, dwarf, hobbit or elf and explore every nook and cranny of Middle Earth alongside their friends, the game was destined to be a bonafide hit, right?

Well, not quite. 

The game did do moderately well but like most other MMORPGs released around this time, it was dwarfed by goliaths of the genre - i..e World of Warcraft - but soon the tides would turn with one simple business decision.

In late 2010, the game went free-to-play and replaced it's usual subscription based model with an in-game store that allowed players to purchase cosmetics and all manner of other goodies. Not only did the adoption of the free-to-play model bring a whole load of new players into the fray but the developers at Daybreak reported that the game's revenue had tripled as a result of this drastic change to business. 

The game is still going strong to this day too, with many still flocking to Middle Earth to battle all manner of dark forces.