News

January 13, 2006

EA Announces The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II for Xbox 360

Players Can Now Command the Epic Battles of Middle-earth from Their Living Room Couch 

Electronic Arts today announced that the highly anticipated PC game, The Lord of the Rings™, The Battle for Middle-earth™ II will make its exclusive console debut when it ships in Summer 2006 on the Xbox 360™. Players can now command epic Middle-earth battles presented in spectacular high-definition from the comfort of their very own couch. To add to the intensity of the experience, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II for the Xbox 360 is the first game in The Lord of the Rings™ series that will be playable over Xbox LIVE™*. Players will be able to challenge friends online and engage in intense, action-packed real-time battles.

“Living these cinematic battles in high-definition with stunning surround sound, all from the comfort of your living room couch on the Xbox 360, is an extraordinary experience,” said Louis Castle, VP of Creative Development at EALA. “Adding the ability to battle it out with friends via Xbox LIVE is also really exciting.” 
 

Based on the PC version of the same name, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II for the Xbox 360 will bring players into the heart of Middle-earth to live the battles seen in the blockbuster New Line Cinema films and classic J.R.R. Tolkien literary fiction. The game boasts a new and intuitive console-specific control scheme that will allow novice players to enjoy the game’s signature strategy gameplay while giving expert players the flexibility needed to engage in a deeply complex strategy experience. Players will directly control hundreds of units in an attempt to defeat enemy armies, conquer new lands, and seal the fate of Middle-earth.

 

You will now be able to command the epic battles of Middle-earth from your living room couch and directly control hundreds of units in an attempt to defeat enemy armies, conquer new lands, and seal the fate of Middle-earth. To add to the intensity of the experience, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II for the Xbox 360 is the first game in The Lord of the Rings series that will be playable over Xbox LIVE. You will be able to challenge friends online and engage in intense, action-packed real-time battles. Additional key features include:

  • The Middle-earth you have never seen brought to life on the Xbox 360! The unification of the book and film rights have unlocked a world of Middle-earth – new races, places, heroes, and battles from the books and films are yours to command.

  • Challenge friends online and battle it out via Xbox LIVE. The game features exclusive new multiplayer games including King of the Hill, Capture and Hold, and Hero versus Hero.

  • First The Lord of the Rings strategy game for any console system and first game in The Lord of the Rings series for the Xbox 360.

  • New and intuitive console-specific control scheme that makes it possible to experience and enjoy the strategy genre on the Xbox 360.

  • Customize fortresses or choose to build anywhere! Craft your own landmark castle and create signature units including naval ships or Elven and Dwarven heroes.

  • Hugo Weaving reprises his role as Lord Elrond lending his voice and likeness to the game. Weaving offers the game’s overarching tone by guiding players in and out of each good and evil mission within the single player campaigns.

Developed at EA’s Los Angeles studio, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II for the Xbox 360 offers players 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.

The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II for the Xbox 360 has not yet been rated by the ESRB and the PC version is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. For more information about either game, please visit: www.bfme2.ea.com. 

*Online play requires Internet Connection. Xbox Live online play also requires subscription to the Xbox Live service.



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The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II (360)