The Lord of the Rings Online DirectX 10 Support

Turbine issued a press release this morning announcing that The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar is the first MMORPG to support DirectX 10.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINEâ„¢ IS FIRST MMORPG TO SUPPORT MICROSOFT’S DIRECTX 10 GRAPHICS AND NVIDIA GEFORCE GRAPHICS PROCESSORS

Award-Winning Online Game Now Features Industry-Leading Graphics

WESTWOOD, MA January 7, 2008 Turbine, Inc. announced today that The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ has become the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) to support the Microsoft DirectX® 10 API and NVIDIA GeForce graphics processors for stunningly realistic imagery. The Lord of the Rings Online, named the 2007 PC Game of the Year 2007, now offers gamers with DirectX 10 graphics cards the most immersive online experience available today.

Players can now experience Middle-earthâ„¢ like never before with major improvements to The Lord of the Rings Online’s graphics, including upgraded shaders for water, particle effects and lighting for distant terrain. Players will also be treated to new levels of immersion with the new DirectX 10 exclusive dynamic shadowing features which render realistic real-time shadows in the vast outdoor environments of The Lord of the Rings Online.

(Turbine has a history of pushing the graphics envelope so we can deliver state-of-the art immersive virtual worlds,) said Fernando Paiz, Director of Game Technology at Turbine, Inc. (We began working with NVIDIA very early in the development cycle so that we could fully leverage DirectX 10 technology to achieve our goal of creating the most complete and authentic recreation of Middle-earth. The results speak for themselves as The Lord of the Rings Online has set the bar for what persistent online worlds can be.)

(The FPS genre has long dominated the race to better graphics but with this major update from Turbine, The Lord of the Rings Online players can enjoy graphics as good as or even better than many FPS games. This is an outstanding achievement and the whole Turbine team should be rightly proud of what they have produced,) said Roy Taylor, Vice President of Content Relations at NVIDIA. (This deserves the attention of the entire video games industry and all MMORPG players everywhere. It points to a future where we will see increasing blending of genres and deeper, more immersive PC gaming experiences. We are delighted to have been able to support this work.)

The Lord of the Rings Online delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places and monsters from the most beloved fantasy adventure of all time. From the quaint surroundings of the Shire to Angmar, the vile kingdom of the Witch-king, players will experience the world of Middle-earth as never before. The Lord of the Rings Online is 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 and operator of massive, persistent online worlds that foster powerful social gaming communities. A team of entrepreneurs formed Turbine over a decade ago with the vision of becoming a leading provider of online entertainment. Since then, Turbine has grown to become one of the largest privately-held online gaming studios in North America. Turbine has created some of the most popular and exciting online games, including The Lord of the Rings Onlineâ„¢: Shadows of Angmarâ„¢, Dungeons & Dragons Onlineâ„¢: Stormreachâ„¢ and Asheron’s Call®. For more information on Turbine, its products and services please visit www.turbine.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 almost 30 years. Its headquarters are in Berkeley, California, and its website may be found at www.tolkien-ent.com.