LOTRO Headed To Korea

Turbine, Inc. just announced their partnership with NHN Corporation to bring The Lord Of The Rings Online to Korea. This is big news for the Korean market, considering LOTRO was the 2007 PC Game of the Year according to most publications. MMORPGs are popular in Korea and LOTRO should be extremely well received. No release date has been announced, but work on bringing this game to Korea has already started. We should find out more details early in 2008.

Full Press Release follows the break!

TURBINE PARTNERS WITH NHN CORPORATION TO BRING THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE(TM) TO KOREA

2007 PC Game of the Year is Coming to World’s Largest Market for Online Games

WESTWOOD, MA – December 10, 2007 – Turbine, Inc. and NHN Corporation today announced a distribution agreement for The Lord of the Rings Online(TM): Shadows of Angmar(TM), the 2007 PC Game of the Year*. Under the terms of the deal, Turbine will work closely with NHN, the largest Korean Internet company and the #1 gamer site in Asia, to localize The Lord of the Rings Online for the fast-growing Korean market.

“The Lord of the Rings is a powerful franchise with global appeal, and we are committed to bringing the game to fans around the world,” said Jim Crowley, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. “NHN is a powerful force in the Korean gaming market and we are very excited to work with them to bring The Lord of the Rings Online to Korea next year.”

“The Lord of the Rings Online will redefine the MMORPG genre in Korea, with amazing graphics and high-quality game content, along with a game system that Korean gamers are familiar with,” said Kim Chang-Keun, Director of the publishing division of NHN. “We expect the title will be a strong contender in the world-class Korean online game market, giving it a global competitive edge.”

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 was recently awarded the 2007 PC Game of the Year at the 25th Annual Golden Joystick Awards and is currently operating in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. For more information about The Lord of the Rings Online, please visit www.lotro.com.

About Turbine
Turbine, Inc. is a premier developer, publisher, and operator of online entertainment and is headquartered in Westwood, Massachusetts. The company is one of the largest privately-held online game companies in North America. Turbine’s catalog includes some of the most famous online entertainment brands, including Asheron’s Call(R), Dungeons & Dragons Online(TM): Stormreach(TM), and The Lord of the Rings Online(TM): Shadows of Angmar(TM). For more information on Turbine and its 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.

About NHN
NHN Corp. is Korea’s leading Internet Company, operating the top search portal Naver and a leading online game portal, Hangame. Naver has grown into Korea’s most visited search portal with ground-breaking service initiatives, such as ‘Comprehensive Search’ and ‘Knowledge Search.’ Hangame is Korea’s first and still largest game portal with pioneering commercial value-added game items and over 1 million concurrent users worldwide.

Founded in 1999 and listed on the KOSDAQ in 2002, NHN currently has the largest market capitalization among KOSDAQ-listed companies. NHN is headquartered in Seongnam, South Korea, with offices in Japan, China and the U.S. For more information, please visit www.nhncorp.com.

*25th Annual Golden Joystick Awards.

“The Lord of the Rings Online,” “Shadows of Angmar,” “Middle-earth,” “The Lord of the Rings,” and the names of the characters, events, items and places therein are trademarks or registered trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises under license to Turbine, Inc. Turbine and the Turbine logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Turbine, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.