Gaming News - February 2006
Redwood City, CA (February 28, 2006) - Electronic Arts announced
today that The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II has shipped to
retailers nationwide and will be in stores on March 2, 2006.
From EA:
Developed at EA’s Los Angeles (EALA) studio for the PC under the EA brand,
The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II includes all new content
from J.R.R. Tolkien's original fiction, and allows the player to delve deeper
than ever before and engage in new battles that go beyond the award-winning
movie trilogy. The development team at EALA have brought The Lord of the Rings™
world to life in accordance with an agreement with The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a
Tolkien Enterprises that grants EA the rights to develop games based on the
books, in addition to a separate agreement that allows for games based on the
New Line Cinema films.
"The Lord of Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II introduces players to new
heroes, creatures, places and stories from Tolkien's fiction brought to life in
the visual style of the films from New Line Cinema," said Mike Verdu, Executive
Producer at EA LA. "The game combines a rich and wonderful world with
innovations in real-time strategy game play to deliver the complete Middle-earth
experience. This is the Middle-earth you've never seen."
In The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, players wage war in
the Northern regions of Middle-earth where they can choose to assume command of
the most storied civilizations in all of Middle-earth history - the Elven and
Dwarven armies - or fight on the side of Evil with heroes and creatures that
have never been seen in The Lord of the Rings films. Reprising his role as Lord
Elrond, Hugo Weaving lends his voice to the game, helping to set the scene and
tone for each mission.
Players can customize their experience by creating their own hero and
building all new customized RTS units. Build landmark castles with fully
customizable and upgradeable fortresses and walls or control the entire war with
War of the Ring Mode; a high level “Risk” style meta-game on the Living World
Map with all new strategic AI.
In conjunction with the shipping of The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for
Middle-earth II PC game (US MSRP of $49.99), EA will release a special
Collector’s Edition. For the first time ever, fans of The Lord of the Rings can
see what goes into the making of a blockbuster PC game with the DVD release of
The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II Collector’s Edition (US
MSRP of $59.99) as well as experience exclusive in-game content. Both versions
of the game are rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB.
For more information about either title, please visit
www.bfme2.ea.com.
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