Turbine Unveils Volume II, Book 7 for LotRO

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Today Turbine has unveiled Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lorien, the latest major content update for subscribers of The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria and a new batch of Book 7 screenshots, which illustrate Strange Happenings, a new quest arc that begins deep within the Waterworks of Moria.

Book 7, which is now available to North American subscribers (available in Europe on 3/24), delivers the next installment to the epic story of LOTRO, a new 12-player raid, the Spring Festival, access to the full region of Lothlorien, and more.

The official press release follows:

TURBINE UNVEILS VOLUME II, BOOK 7: LEAVES OF LORIEN FOR THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™
Best Overall Game of 2008* Introduces New Content Update for Subscribers

WESTWOOD, MA – March 17, 2009 - Turbine, Inc. announced the details of the latest major update for subscribers of The Lord of the Rings Online™: Mines of Moria™ (LOTRO). Book 7: Leaves of Lórien is the latest of Turbine's frequent and substantial updates to the Best MMORPG of 2008**. Book 7 delivers the next installment to the epic story for Volume II of LOTRO, a new 12-player raid, major gameplay enhancements, the Spring Festival and access to the full region of Lothlórien. Book 7: Leaves of Lórien will be available to subscribers of The Lord of the Rings Online on March 17, 2009 in North America and March 24, 2009 in Europe.

"The launch of our first expansion, Mines of Moria, has been a huge success and has firmly established the game as one of the premier MMOs in the world," said Jeffrey Steefel, Executive Producer of The Lord of the Rings Online. "For nearly two years LOTRO has been one of the fastest growing games in the industry and with Book 7 we continue to expand the world with the expansion of Lothlórien, the legendary home of Galadriel and the elves and the introduction of new tools and improvements based on player feedback including a new Quest Guide and an enhanced new player experience."

NEW FEATURES IN BOOK 7: LEAVES OF LORIEN:

The Epic Journey Continues - The first update to Volume II, Book 7 will take LOTRO's unique storytelling to a new level as it introduces a new reputation faction, the reclusive elves of Lothlórien. Players will need to gain their trust in order to continue their adventure. After earning their favor, players are reunited with the Fellowship and begin a series of quests to root out the Orc influence within Moria ending with a climactic battle against the forces of Mazog and an audience with Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel back in their kingdom of Lothlórien.
New 12-player Raid - Book 7 introduces Strange Happenings, a new quest arc that begins deep within the Waterworks of Moria. Players will need to team up to unravel a mystery surrounding a newly revealed source of corruption in Moria, engaging in a fierce battle with another monstrous threat to Middle-earth.
New Gameplay Enhancements - LOTRO continues to augment its award-winning experience for players with major improvements such as new daily solo quests for crafters that are very useful and fun and a significantly revamped new player experience for the Dwarves, Elves and Man races. Book 7 also introduces the new Quest Guide, a new set of features designed to make navigating through Middle-earth easier and more fun including a display of quest locations on both the mini-map and main map. The Quest Guide will launch in Beta with the introduction of Book 7.
Celebrate the Spring Festival! - The Spring Festival returns to Middle-earth from March 24th to April 7th. The world will explode in celebration as the free people of Middle-earth ring in the season with special decorations, festive costumes and special quests including a challenging new hedge maze.

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The Lord of the Rings Online is the ultimate interactive adventure. This award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places and monsters from the most beloved fantasy of all time. From the picturesque surroundings of the Shire to Moria, the most fearsome underground realm ever imagined, players will experience the world of Middle-earth as never before. The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria Complete Edition, which includes the original game, The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ (Volume I), all content updates released since launch, and Mines of Moria (Volume II) is now available for purchase at major retailers across North America. For more information or to download a free trial, visit www.lotro.com.

About Turbine

Turbine, Inc. is a premier creator, operator and publisher of massive, persistent online worlds that foster powerful social gaming communities. Turbine is the largest privately-held online gaming studio in North America and was recently chosen by AlwaysOn as one of the OnHollywood 100 Top Private Companies, a power list of the top private emerging technology companies in digital entertainment and media. The company has created some of the world's most popular and award-winning online games, including The Lord of the Rings Online™, Dungeons & Dragons Online™ and Asheron's Call®. For more information on Turbine, its products and services please visit www.turbine.com.

About Codemasters

Codemasters is a leading developer and publisher of best-selling interactive entertainment products for a global audience on current and future gaming platforms and channels. Established in 1986, the company's dominant brands include Colin McRae Rally, TOCA Race Driver, LMA Manager, Brian Lara Cricket and Operation Flashpoint. The company is headquartered in Southam, Warwickshire UK and maintains operations in the US, Germany, France, Spain, and Benelux. More information about the company and its products is available online at www.codemasters.com.

About Tolkien Enterprises

The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises is the holder of worldwide motion picture, legitimate stage, merchandising, and other rights in J.R.R. Tolkien's literary works The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Tolkien Enterprises has been producing and licensing films, stage productions and merchandise based on Tolkien's works for more than 30 years. Its headquarters are in Berkeley, California, and its website may be found at www.tolkien-ent.com.