Lord of the Rings Online turns five, celebrates with Gandalf firework festival

Has it really been five years since we first roamed the rolling hills of Lord of the Rings Online? Turbine's MMO is celebrating it's anniversary in true Hobbit style, with a great big fireworks festival supervised by Gandalf himself.

LOTRO has a special place in MMO history as one of the games that really popularised the free to play model in the west. Hard as it may seem, it was only a couple of years ago that Turbine switching to the free to play model was a new and risky endeavour, how things have changed.

Massively reports that the two biggest firework displays will be in Bree and The Shire, with Gandalf handing out quests in the latter. Turbine will be running giveaways throughout the festival, with prizes, both in game and real world, to be won, and loyalty rewards for new customers. Several of which are pictured below.

This event might not be as dramatic as The Old Republic's Rakghoul plague , but it fits the sedate, pastoral style that has always characterised LOTRO. So leave the monsters alone for a change, and enjoy some Birthday cake for second pudding.