Battle for Middle-earth II Public Beta Opens Company: EA Games Product: Battle for Middle-earth II In The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Real-Time Strategy game The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth you will experience all that Middle-earth was meant to be. And now through the public beta -- YOU will have the chance to experience the Middle-earth you've never seen -- and before anyone else! With all-new content from J.R.R. Tolkien’s original fiction, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II will delve deeper and engage in new battles that go beyond the award-winning movie trilogy. Wage war in the Northern lands and assume command of the most storied races in all of Middle-earth history – the Elven and Dwarven armies – or fight on the side of Evil with heroes and creatures never before seen in The Lord of the Rings films. Defend or overtake new lands such as Dol Guldur, The Misty Mountains, and Mirkwood as you unleash powerful new weapons and abilities - summon dragons, cause volcanoes to erupt, or bring down a cataclysmic lightning strike. This public beta test features a specific part of the larger game and is now available exclusively to those who pre-order the game. This online multiplayer beta includes two brand-new factions out of six total factions - the mighty Dwarves and the treacherous Goblins. In the beta test, both factions boast all their units, heroes, structures, and powers for players to utilize against opponents online. Players will also experience two brand-new maps to wage battle across; Harlindon and Withered Heath. The Harlindon map is partially composed of a sprawling ocean that showcases the game’s new naval combat feature. Players can use this to their advantage by launching attacks from sea or land. The Withered Heath map is a wide-open snow plain complete with surrounding mountains and caverns that will thrust players into in the middle of epic battles - perfect for strategic sneak attacks. The public beta also includes two tutorials with over 45 minutes of gameplay that will explain all the new features and more. The public beta will be available to everyone who pre-orders The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II at participating retail stores until the full version of The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II ships in early 2006. Currently, the pre-order promotion is available at GameStop and EB Games. -Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker Related Links: Battle for Middle-earth II Beta Registration The Battle for Middle-earth II Official Site EA Games