Lord of the Rings Goes MMO

It's a good day to be a Lord of the Rings junkie.

Lord of the Rings fans now have more to enjoy besides the books and movies, as Turbine Inc. and Midway Games Inc. have announced that "The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar" has been released on Tuesday.

The massively multiplayer online (MMO) game is now available for purchase everywhere in North America. The game is the first and only MMO based on the Lord of the Rings universe based on the J.R.R. Tolkien epic book franchise.

"Shadows of Angmar," which has been in development for over four years and has been long anticipated, will allow gamers to enter Middle Earth for themselves for the first time.

The Lord of the Rings has long been popular, and is one of the best selling books of all-time. The recent Oscar-winning film trilogy has just exploded the popularity of the Middle Earth universe and the new Lord of the Rings MMO should do very well.

"World of Warcraft" has dominated the MMO market since its release, but "Shadows of Angmar" could draw enough interest to give it a run for its money according to many in the industry. Fans of the franchise have always daydreamed of exploring the world of Middle Earth, so there is certainly expected to be a lot of interest in the game.

Turbine says that the game will include all of the familiar places in Middle Earth that you would expect, and it will all be available for gamer exploration.

"The release of The Lord of the Rings Online marks a momentous occasion for MMO gamers and Tolkien fans around the world," said Jeff Anderson, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc.

"The Lord of the Rings Online" is available in two editions, Special and Standard. The Special Edition will include the game on a DVD, a 30 day free play trial, the official "Making of the Lord of the Rings Online" on DVD, an exclusive in-game item, and the official soundtrack. The Special Edition will retail for $59.99. The Standard Edition of the game will retail for $49.99.