4/18/07 - Latest News

Penny Arcade Goofs on LOTR Online
Xoanon @ 11:20 pm EST

jennysinspace writes: I found this Penny Arcade comic this morning, spoofing on the new LOTR online game, and had to send it to you.

4/12/07 - Latest News

Codemasters Online Gaming Celebrates Its Largest Ever European Pre-Release Campaign as Pre-Order Numbers Reach Unprecedented Heights!
Xoanon @ 8:11 pm EST

April 12th 2007 (14.00 GMT) - Codemasters Online Gaming today revealed that tens of thousands of players have already pre-ordered the highly anticipated MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ scheduled for release on April 24th across Europe. Players have already declared their intention to pack their bags and move to Middle-earth as pre-order packs fly from shelves across Europe in what has now become Codemasters’ largest ever pre-order campaign! Pre-order packs contain 10-day head start access to the game as well as access to exclusive in-game items and the chance to become a Founder of The Lord of the Rings Online. The Lord of the Rings Online Founder Program* presents players two different membership options including £99.99 (EUR 149.99) for a lifetime subscription or a 6-month subscription for £35.94 (EUR 53.94), equivalent to £5.99 (EUR 8.99) per month. This offer is only open to Founders who purchase the pre-order pack of The Lord of the Rings Online. Pre-order packs are now available across all leading games retailers across Europe and are already limited in supply. [More]

4/10/07 - Latest News

LOTR Online Update
Xoanon @ 4:53 pm EST

Lorien "Ramen" Carney, Community Relations Specialist for The Lord of the Rings Online writes: Last Friday kicked off our public Open Beta program, giving players the opportunity to join the LOTRO World Tour and preview the game for free. Needless to say, things have really been 'hopping' ever since, and Open Beta was one of many topics discussed at last night's Stratics House of Commons dev chat. Check out the chat transcript for the latest on the LOTRO music system, the economy, and future content plans!

We've also just posted a new game systems overview introducing LOTRO's Fellowship Maneuvers system, the cooperative skill system that allows group members to discover and execute powerful team attacks on their foes! Game Systems: Fellowship Manuevers: Learn some of the finer points about LOTRO's cooperative skill system for fellowships. [More]

This overview joins our ever-growing Game Systems section, where new players currently enjoying our World Tour or Fournder's previews can learn the basics about LOTRO game play.

4/06/07 - Latest News

Free World Tour of Middle-earth For The Lord of the Rings Online Begins Today!
Xoanon @ 7:26 pm EST

Over Two Weeks of Free Game Play Leading Up to April 24th Launch

Westwood, MA – April 6, 2007 -- Turbine, Inc. announced today that the World Tour of Middle-earth has officially begun! Over one million North American gamers are planned to be invited to this unprecedented event where they can experience The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ for FREE from April 6th until its scheduled launch on April 24th. Even more exciting, the World Tour also serves as a head-start for pre-order customers, allowing them to roll their characters into the launched game.

The only thing better than adventuring in Middle-earth is being able to adventure for free!” said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. “The World Tour is a unique opportunity to try The Lord of the Rings Online for yourself before the game launches.”

During the World Tour, players will be able to advance up to level 15 and experience the most authentic online persistent recreation of Middle-earth ever created. Players should visit www.lotro.com/worldtour to get more information on how to obtain a World Tour key.

Players can still pre-order The Lord of the Rings Online at www.lotro.com/preorder or at select retail stores nationwide until April 24th to take advantage of the exciting Founder’s Program. The Founder’s Program is available for a limited time and rewards all players who pre-order the game with the following benefits:

• Two special membership options: $199/lifetime or $9.99/month
  
• Unique in-game bonus items
  
• Ability to roll World Tour characters into the launched game
  

The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) is the first and only massively multiplayer online role-playing game based on the Books of J.R.R. Tolkien. Having been in development for over four years, Turbine has painstakingly re-created the unique and mystical worlds from the Books of J.R.R. Tolkien, creating a virtual world that brims with life and opportunity for endless adventure. LOTRO’s immersive storyline delivers an experience that takes players beyond the Books to where they can create their own story within the most famous fantasy world of all time

The Lord of the Rings Online is scheduled for official release on April 24th, 2007. For more information, visit www.lotro.com.

About Turbine

Turbine, Inc. is a premier developer, publisher and operator of subscription entertainment and is headquartered in Westwood, Massachusetts. The company is one of the largest privately-held online games companies in North America. Turbine’s catalogue includes some of the most famous online entertainment brands, including Asheron’s Call®, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE™: Stormreach™, and The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™. For more information on Turbine and its services, please visit www.turbine.com.

About Tolkien Enterprises

The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises is the holder of worldwide motion picture, legitimate stage, merchandising, and other rights in J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary works The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Tolkien Enterprises has been producing and licensing films, stage productions and merchandise based on Tolkien’s works for almost 30 years. Its headquarters are in Berkeley, California, and its website may be found at www.tolkien-ent.com.

Konsoles for Kids
Xoanon @ 7:21 pm EST

Dane writes: I was watching Australia's "The Today Show". They were talking about a charity and how they have very limited editions of Xbox 360s with famous people's faces on them! They have spray-brushed faces onto a limited number of Xboxs for charity, and they held up one Peter Jackson's face on it! Some of the other famous faces included Toni Collette and Hugh Jackman. [More]

Xoanon here, sadly the Peter Jackson Xbox has been won!

4/02/07 - Latest News

Elijah Wood's Got Game
Xoanon @ 7:29 pm EST

The actor, known for his role as Frodo in Lord of the Rings, and avid gamer discusses the evolving relationship between the video game industry and Hollywood. The actor who has starred in a number of Electronic Arts' The Lord of the Rings video games as Frodo spends a lot of his free time playing games. That was one reason why Microsoft selected Elijah Wood to host the MTV unveiling of Xbox 360 a few years ago. He's also known as the voice of Mumble in Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's Happy Feet movie, which is out now on DVD, Blu-Ray Disc and HD-DVD. Unsurprisingly, Midway Games adapted the tale of a tap dancing and tone deaf penguin for Wii, PlayStation 2 and GameCube. It marks the first time that Wood, whose brother Zach is a producer at Midway's San Diego studio, has worked with the game maker. [More]

3/29/07 - Latest News

EA Ties Up Lord Of The Rings License Through 2008
Xoanon @ 8:22 pm EST

EA Ties Up Lord Of The Rings License Through 2008 Major publisher and developer Electronic Arts has renewed its license to release additional games set within the literary world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings through 2008. EA has been responsible for recent titles based on New Line Cinema’s film adaptations of the classic novels since 2001. In addition, EA acquired the rights to develop games based on the classic The Lord Of The Rings book series itself in 2005, thus bringing all The Lord Of The Rings titles under EA's umbrella. Previously, Vivendi Universal Games had separately licensed the right to use the Tolkein books from the Saul Zaentz Company, a situation which led to competing Lord Of The Rings games being released at the time the first movie debuted. However, Vivendi's titles, which included a game based on The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit, failed to garner either critical or consumer appeal. [More]

3/27/07 - Latest News

1,000,000 Free Tour of LOTR Online!
Xoanon @ 6:14 pm EST

WESTWOOD, Ma. & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Turbine, Inc. and Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY - News) announced a massive, free "World Tour of Middle-earth" available to players throughout North America. Over one million players are planned to be invited into The Lord of the Rings Online(TM): Shadows of Angmar(TM), the most complete and authentic massively multiplayer online (MMO) world based upon the famous Books of J.R.R. Tolkien. The World Tour of Middle-earth is scheduled to begin on April 6th and continue until the anticipated launch of the game on April 24th.

"We decided to launch the World Tour of Middle-earth because of the overwhelming demand from players to get into the closed beta," said Jeffrey Anderson, President and CEO of Turbine, Inc. "We expect the World Tour of Middle-earth to be a spectacular event like nothing that you've ever seen before." [More]

Massive LOTR Online Updates
Xoanon @ 6:09 pm EST

Lorien "Ramen" Carney, Community Relations Specialist for The Lord of the Rings Online writes: It’s only Tuesday, but we’re already having a very busy week here on The Lord of the Rings Online. Last night marked our “End of Closed Beta” party, a night full of fun and mayhem. The Beta servers were taken down this morning at 9 AM Eastern, as we prepare for the exciting arrival of our Open Beta! Pre-order customers will gain Open Beta access this Friday, March 30.

Creatures of Middle-earth: Stone-trolls, Huorns, Boars, and Bears! [More]

Join the World Tour and Play Free - Join the World Tour of Middle-earth today for your free preview of The Lord of the Rings Online before the official launch on April 24th. [More]

Here, players can obtain a key for the public Open Beta, which begins on April 6. Open Beta keys can also be found in the latest copy of PC Gamer, along with an installation DVD. [More]