"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.

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.

Command the epic battles of Middle-earth from your living room couch in The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II for the Xbox 360. The highly anticipated PC game will make its exclusive console debut when it ships in Summer 2006! 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*. Challenge friends online and engage in intense, action-packed real-time battles.

Features :

• 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.
• Command the most epic battles of Middle-earth from your living room couch. Directly control and manage hundreds of units and engage in intense, action-packed real-time battles.
• 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.