LOTR Online Pushes Wolves of Mordor Back a Week

Were you counting down the days until Wolves of Mordor hit Lord of the Rings Online? Well, you're going to need to add a few more to that countdown.

Standing Stone Games has announced that the upcoming expansion is being pushed back by a full week. Instead of arriving on October 21st, Wolves of Mordor will now launch on October 28th. If you felt like that original date seemed a little early, you weren't alone — apparently the studio felt the same way.

The team didn't offer up an explanation for the delay, so we're left to speculate on what's happening behind the scenes. Whether it's extra polish, bug squashing, or just making sure everything is ready for the journey into Mordor, the extra week should give the developers some breathing room.

Here's the good news, though: Standing Stone Games isn't leaving pre-order customers hanging. The studio is sweetening the pot for those who already put their money down, adding extra value to the pre-order packages to soften the blow of the wait.

That's a pretty smart move on the studio's part. Delays are never fun for anyone — players get antsy, hype cools down, and plans get shuffled — but tossing in some bonus goodies goes a long way toward keeping the community happy. It's the kind of gesture that says, "Hey, we know this stings, so here's a little something extra."

For longtime LOTRO fans, this is just another bump on the long road to Mordor. The expansion is a big deal for the game, and a one-week shift is relatively minor in the grand scheme of things. Still, when you've been waiting and planning your return to Middle-earth, every day counts.

So mark your calendars for October 28th instead of the 21st. If you've already pre-ordered, keep an eye out for those upgraded package details. And if you haven't jumped in yet, the sweetened pre-order offers might just be the nudge you needed.

What do you think about the delay — happy to wait for a more polished expansion, or bummed about the extra week? Will you be picking up Wolves of Mordor when it finally arrives?