Today Turbine announced the long-awaited details of the Special Edition version of The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™. In a nutshell, the Special Edition costs around ?10 more than the regular version and contains, among other things, a pretty cool "Making-of" DVD, the LOTRO soundtrack, a full-color version of the manual, a unique in-game item (folks who pre-ordered and got bonus items from that too will be pretty well-set!), and a map of Middle-earth.

April 12th 2007 (14.00 GMT) - Codemasters Online Gaming today revealed that tens of thousands of players have already pre-ordered the highly anticipated MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ scheduled for release on April 24th across Europe. Players have already declared their intention to pack their bags and move to Middle-earth as pre-order packs fly from shelves across Europe in what has now become Codemasters¡¯ largest ever pre-order campaign!

Pre-order packs contain 10-day head start access to the game as well as access to exclusive in-game items and the chance to become a Founder of The Lord of the Rings Online. The Lord of the Rings Online Founder Program* presents players two different membership options including £99.99 (EUR 149.99) for a lifetime subscription or a 6-month subscription for £35.94 (EUR 53.94), equivalent to £5.99 (EUR 8.99) per month. This offer is only open to Founders who purchase the pre-order pack of The Lord of the Rings Online. Pre-order packs are now available across all leading games retailers across Europe and are already limited in supply.

Ed Relf, Director of Marketing, commented ¡°We are ecstatic with the pre-order frenzy surrounding The Lord of the Rings Online. We are excited with the unprecedented demand for the game and are looking forward to launching what is set to be one of the most successful PC games in recent years!¡±

Developed by Turbine, Inc., The Lord of the Rings Online is based on the Books of J.R.R. Tolkien and available in English, French and German. It is one of the most highly anticipated games of 2007, giving players the opportunity to experience the most famous fantasy world of all time and forge their own destiny through Middle-earth.

To pre-order The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ visit www.lotro-europe.com/preorder

For more information on The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ visit www.movetomiddle-earth.com

See the complete Pre-order Program and Founder Program terms and conditions at http://www.lotro-europe.com/preorder.php