EA SHIPS THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THE BATTLE FOR
MIDDLE-EARTH II FOR THE XBOX 360
First The Lord of the Rings Videogame for the Xbox 360 on Store Shelves July 7, 2006
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 5, 2006 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced that the award-winning The Lord of the Rings™, The Battle for Middle-earth™ II for the Xbox 360™ shipped to stores nationwide today and will hit store shelves July 7, 2006. This marks the debut of a strategy game available for the Xbox 360 system, boasting a new and innovative console-specific control scheme that allows novice players to enjoy the game’s signature strategy gameplay while giving expert strategy players the flexibility needed to engage in deeply complex battles.
“We are thrilled to bring the first Real-time Strategy game to the Xbox 360 and offer you the opportunity to command massive armies from The Lord of the Rings universe for the first time on console,” said Louis Castle, VP of Creative Development at EALA. “The Xbox LIVE gameplay is also truly enjoyable which features exclusive multiplayer modes. We can’t wait to see you online!”
Based on the PC version of the same name, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II for the Xbox 360 system takes players into the heart of Middle-earth to live the battles seen in the blockbuster New Line Cinema films and detailed in the classic J.R.R. Tolkien literary fiction. Players now can command the epic battles of Middle-earth presented in spectacular high-definition from the comfort of their living room couch. To add to the intensity of the experience, players can challenge friends online and engage in intense, action-packed real-time battles over Xbox LIVE™* – a first in The Lord of the Rings™ videogame series. Directly controlling hundreds of units, players can attempt to defeat enemy armies, conquer new lands, and seal the fate of Middle-earth.
Developed at EA’s Los Angeles studio, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth IIfor the Xbox 360offers a new depth of The Lord of the Rings fiction never before explored in an EA console game. The game makers 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.
