Middle-earth Enterprises and Echoes of Angmar
Last month I wrote about a private server that is based upon an early iteration of the MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online. The project named Echoes of Angmar, is currently in development by a third party outside of the auspices of Standing Stone Games and will contain content up to and including Book11: Defenders of Eriador. Effectively this will be a version of the game as it was eight months after its initial release in 2007. Naturally, this private server has attracted a great deal of attention, as many LOTRO players have expressed an interest in a “classic” version of the game. However, the official developers of LOTRO have indicated that they have no desire at present to pursue such an undertaking. Some sources have claimed that it cannot be done, however video footage of Echoes of Angmar posted on YouTube seems to contradict such statements.
As I mentioned in a previous post, the team behind this project have been quite open about their work. There is a website for Echoes of Angmar which provides full details of this “unofficial” version of LOTRO as well as how to install the software to play on the private server, which will be undertaking stress tests on 19th August. There is also an active Discord server associated with the project. As a result, Echoes of Angmar has been discussed on numerous blogs, subreddits, and other online platforms. Someone even saw fit to create a thread on the official LOTRO forums a few weeks ago, although it was removed by Community Manager Cordovan. Hence, it was inevitable that sooner or later there would be a formal response by the owners of the intellectual property. The following post appeared on the official LOTRO forums this evening. It is a copy of a letter from Middle-earth Enterprises regarding Echoes of Angmar.
Dear Echoes of Angmar team,
We have noted the Echoes of Angmar game that you have posted and we appreciate and share your enthusiasm for the Tolkien works, and specifically for the developers and creators of the epic MMO, The Lord of the Rings Online. Judging from your website and Discord, you are individuals who possess a boundless enthusiasm for LOTRO, J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings. We’re here to acknowledge your enthusiasm, and thank you for your fandom. Unfortunately, we, as trademark holders and stewards of the Tolkien works, more often than we’d like, must deliver some potentially difficult news. As your business is using the Tolkien works and trademarks in an unauthorized manner without benefit of a license, we must ask you to cease.
As stewards of the Tolkien works, we take our role very seriously in order to protect the works for all time, on behalf of fans everywhere. As owners of the intellectual property rights, we are charged with protecting those rights both morally and legally. Unfortunately, Echoes of Angmar uses specific content from the books and from our Licensee for The Lord of the Rings Online without the benefit of a license. Honestly, it breaks our hearts to post letters like this one. It is not uncommon for fans to create things reflecting an affection for the Tolkien works. It is thus with a heavy heart that we must ask that you immediately cease all of your unauthorized use of Echoes of Angmar, and all other Tolkien-related IP on all platforms, including Discord, Youtube and on https://www.echoesofangmar.com/.
We welcome the opportunity to answer any questions you may have on the subject, and wish you all the best in your future duly authorized endeavors.
Kind regards,
Middle-earth Enterprises
This raises several questions. The Echoes of Angmar team have clearly spent a great deal of time and effort developing this project and know that it’s a copyright violation. Yet they do not seem to be concerned about this statement from Middle-earth Enterprises, implying they do not fear legal action. Will the server be based outside of Europe and North America? At present there are private servers for other games such as World or Warcraft and Star Wars: Galaxies which have escaped being shut down. Considering how litigious Activision Blizzard are as well as Disney, there must be some loopholes somewhere which are being cunningly exploited to prevent closure. I suspect that the Echoes of Angmar team have looked into this “grey” area carefully and have contingency plans or have taken a carefully calculated risk.
I was also struck by the conciliatory tone of this letter from Middle-earth Enterprise. It doesn’t sound like the sort of curt and bellicose statement usually associated with the legal profession. I was sent a snotty letter once myself when I posted screen captures from an advance online promotional event for a film back in 2015 and it didn’t mince its words. It makes me wonder what Middle-earth Enterprises are up to here. Is their reply just an arbitrary response to show they’re going through the motions of protecting their IP. Or is this a polite shot across the bow before a more robust follow up? Has the fact that an independent third party has done something that the official developers implied couldn’t be done, caused some embarrassment? Do Middle-earth Enterprises see the Echoes of Angmar project not so much as a threat but a potential business opportunity?
I must admit, I do find this entire situation very intriguing. I do have an interest in what Echoes of Angmar is trying to do but it is mainly out of intellectual curiosity. Revisiting LOTRO as it were in 2007 is something I would like to watch and observe. Personally, I don’t know if I would be able to play the game beyond a few levels as I don’t think I’d like being dependent on other players to progress. However, I do find the machinations and shenanigans of the video games industry just as engaging (and sometimes more so) as the games they create. I certainly have a lot of unanswered questions regarding the people behind this private server and their provenance. However, due to the nature of this undertaking I suspect they’re not going to share such information. All things considered, I don’t think this project is going to go away easily and I’m curious to see what happens next.
