Lead the Fellowship or Take Control of the Forces of Shadow exclusively on the PSP (PlayStation Portable).

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., November 8, 2005 - Electronic Arts Inc announced today that The Lord of the Rings: Tactics, exclusively for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, has shipped to retailers nationwide. The Lord of the Rings: Tactics puts players in the universe of Middle-earth from the books and films and allows them to lead the Fellowship or take control of the forces of Shadow.

The Lord of the Rings: Tactics is EA's first title to incorporate EA's exclusive rights to develop videogames based on J.R.R. Tolkien's epic literary fiction, The Lord of the Rings. Previous titles are based solely on content from New Line Cinema's critically acclaimed The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. The expansion rights allow EA to introduce players to the depths of the fiction never before explored in an EA videogame. Fans will now be able to step into a world that looks like the films, but experience characters, environments and battles that are inspired by the books.

The tactical RPG game features a rich system of items, upgrades and skills for players to customize their heroes. Players can seize high ground, set ambushes and strategically trap enemies while fighting battles across famous locations from the books and films to determine the future of Middle-earth. Playing the Fellowship enables players to guard their heroes, which include Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Gandalf, and Sam. In contrast, dark side characters include Lurtz, the Witch-King, Sauron, Saruman, Grima, and Gothmog. The Lord of the Rings: Tactics also will feature a multiplayer mode, allowing up to four players to play their customized heroes against one another via WiFi. A unique, simultaneous turn-taking system allows for fast-paced play.

Jason's Comments: Hate the book...love the movies. The book is just so boring and dull. I want action...not a nature walk.