Players of the J.R.R. Tolkien MMO The Lord of the Rings Online gathered by the hundreds to mourn Bilbo Baggins actor Sir Ian Holm, who passed away this week at the age of 88. The Lord of the Rings Online is an MMORPG set in the world of Middle-earth, from Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The free-to-play game was launched back in 2007, and still receives updates and expansions. Players choose one of Tolkien's races, such as hobbits, elves, and dwarves, create a character, and travel across the world to complete quests and raids, much like World of Warcraft.
The Lord of the Rings is one of the most influential book series of all time, and is a landmark for the genre of fantasy. Interest in Tolkien's epic grew in the early 2000s with Peter Jackson's critically and commercially successful film adaptations of the trilogy, followed by a trilogy of movies based on its prequel, The Hobbit. The Hobbit tells the tale of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit sent on an adventure with dwarves to defeat a treasure-hoarding dragon. The Lord of the Rings focuses on Frodo Baggins, Bilbo's adopted nephew who must take a magical ring found by Bilbo to a volcano in order to destroy the dark lord Sauron. In The Lord of the Rings films, Bilbo is portrayed by Sir Ian Holm, also known for his roles in Alien, Ratatouille, and Chariots of Fire. Peter Jackson posted a touching tribute to Holm following his death caused by complications from Parkinson's disease.
As reported by Eurogamer, The Lord of the Rings Online players are gathering en masse to pay tribute to the beloved actor. Screenshots show hundreds of players gathering around the in-game Bilbo Baggins, where many kneeled and applauded. Other servers organized marches through the Shire, land of the Hobbits, setting off fireworks and performing songs to pay tribute to the actor. Another player reported a crowd gathered around the home of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins - an unpleasant relative in the books - and set off fireworks to annoy her, a move that would surely earn Bilbo's approval.
Developer Standing Stone Games acknowledged the tributes by enabling the "Baggins' Birthday" quest throughout the weekend, while also extending the Spring Festival event until July 29th per a developer tweet. The original Lord of the Rings cast had a virtual reunion earlier this month, but Holm did not make an appearance.
The Lord of the Rings is beloved by many generations, and its film adaptations are just as awe-inspiring two decades later. While fans of Tolkien's legendary series will have Amazon's television show to look forward to, which has resumed filming, it's touching to see gamers unite to play tribute to someone who brought a memorable, charming performance to the iconic films. Bilbo's NPC will never be the same within The Lord of the Rings Online.