Image source: North Beach Games
If you’re venturing into the deep and dark halls of Khazad-dûm in The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, you’re likely looking forward to teaming up with friends to reclaim the grandeur of Moria. But does Return to Moria’s co-op support dedicated servers? Here’s what you need to know.
Return to Moria Dedicated Servers
At present, Return to Moria does not feature dedicated servers. This means that the game relies on a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection for its online multiplayer experience. In practical terms, this setup requires the host player to be logged in for the game session to continue. If the host disconnects, the session ends for everyone, and the world data remains saved only on the host’s account. This can disrupt the gameplay experience, especially for a game that invites players to spend hours crafting and building in a shared world.
What Are Dedicated Servers?
As a reminder, dedicated servers host the game’s world independently, allowing players to join or leave without affecting others’ gameplay. Popular in crafting and open-world games like Minecraft and Valheim, dedicated servers preserve the continuity of the game world, even when the original host is not online.
Without dedicated servers, Return to Moria players have to plan their sessions around the availability of the host. This system can limit the freedom of players who wish to drop in and out of the game at their leisure or continue playing in a persistent world regardless of others’ online status.
Return to Moria Roadmap
There’s good news on the horizon. Jon-Paul Dumont, the Game Director at Free Range Games, has indicated that dedicated servers are on the game’s development roadmap. The introduction of these servers will enable “shared worlds,” a feature allowing players to have persistent worlds that can be accessed at any time, making it possible to continue the adventure asynchronously.
Related:
All Return to Moria Platforms & Crossplay, Explained
So, while Return to Moria does not currently offer dedicated servers, the future looks promising with plans to introduce this much-requested feature. Until then, players can still enjoy rebuilding Moria together, albeit with the limitations of P2P connections. Be sure to check out our starter and resource guides.
