Midway, Turbine, and Codemasters are completely freaking ecstatic to announce that The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angamar, or LOTRO as we affectionately call it, is the #1 PC game in North America, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. According to the most recent industry reports (see the release), the power of Tolkien and the popularity of the films have brought PC gamers out in droves to get a chance to frolic in Middle Earth.

I wholly attribute this to my Minstrel, Calibran, standing in the square in Michel Delving in the middle of the night playing the Rugrats theme song on my clarinet, and I will refute anyone's claims to the contrary with my harp version of Fly Me To The Moon.

I'm certainly enjoying the game, which while not entirely unlike World of Warcraft has more than it's fair shire of innovations to keep things fresh. It'll be interesting to see how the reception of LOTRO affects the MMO market in the long run. Could this be the game that finally breaks Blizzard's domination? Michael Fahey

THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE IS THE #1 SELLING PC GAME ACROSS NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE

10th May, 2007 - Today, Turbine, Inc., Midway Games Inc. and Codemasters Online Gaming announced that The Lord of the Rings Online : Shadows of Angmar is the #1 selling PC title across North America and Europe based on the most recent industry reports. The Lord of the Rings Online has outsold all other PC games across North America, Germany, United Kingdom and France according to data from NPD (NA), Chart-Track (UK), GfK (France) and Media Control (Germany).

In addition to soaring sales, The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) has been enthusiastically received by gaming critics around the globe:

The New York Times proclaimed LOTRO as "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the 'Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."
GameSpy awarded the game its prestigious Editor's Choice award with 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Computer and Video Games, a leading UK gaming site, rated the game a 9.2 out of 10 and said "LOTRO presents a stunning and evocative world of Tolkien magic to explore."
GameDaily, a leading US gaming site, rated the game a 9 out of 10 and calls the game "a hot contender for PC game of the year."

"This outstanding start sets the stage for a bright future," said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. "This is only the beginning as we embark on an incredible journey with our players to expand the world of Middle-earth with the release of regular content updates."

"Following the most successful North American pre-order program in Midway's history, The Lord of the Rings Online is off to a great start," said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. "As the positive reports and reviews continue to come in, gamers are settling into the game and experiencing Middle-earth as never before."

"The fabulous response from consumers and the media has been overwhelming," said David Solari, Vice President and General Manager of Codemasters Online Gaming. "It's been a great launch, but it's only the beginning for us. We look forward to rapid growth and welcoming thousands more to Middle-earth!"

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