Electronic Arts announced today that The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age roleplaying game is under development for a planned fall 2004 release. The epic quest, in which players will take on the roles of new characters choosing their own path through Middle-earth while interacting with the heroes and villains of the trilogy, will be available for the PS2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, and Game Boy Advance.

The Lord of the Rings, The Third Age videogame allows players to adventure through Middle-earth, building a party of heroes as they journey, and will be based on the movies. Players battle on the side of the Fellowship, but can unlock additional encounters where they fight on the side of Sauron as they progress.

In the game, players will interact with the characters of the Fellowship in a unique structure, taking on individual quests while intersecting the major events of the film trilogy that drive the story forward. Parties will traverse through both familiar and seldom-glimpsed locations, using an innovative turn-based battle system as they fight, encountering the demonic Balrog in the Mines of Moria, defending the fallen city of Osgiliath, or trying to destroy Helm's Deep.

The Lord the Rings, The Third Age, is being developed by EA's Redwood Shores studio, the same studio that developed the hit The Lord of the Rings; The Return of the King game. The Game Boy Advance version is being developed by Amaze Entertainment.

The Battle for Middle-earth, is under development for release in the fall of 2004. Cube-Europe will bring you the first media and more info on this title in the very near future!

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