Hey gang! The title says it all. Who’s feeling goosebumps!?!

Have you ever wanted to stay-up all night gaming, but all of your friends are already sleeping? Have you ever wanted to test out your newest deck design – against someone in Russia…or China…or in Ohio? Have you every wanted to game so badly and for so long but couldn’t find a crew to match your stamina? Well then…THIS GAME IS DEFINITELY FOR YOU!!!!!

The Lord of the Rings Trading Card game is about to go ONLINE! The realm of Middle Earth will soon be set upon an all new “Fourth Age”; a digital world where players from all over the globe can compete in the style and dynamic of the “offline” version of the LOTR TCG that we have all come to enjoy without measure!

The Lord of the Rings ONLINE Website is up and completely accessible and has links to actual game screens, news-articles, notes from the designers and a link to sign-up to become a BETA tester for the game. Check out all of these fantastic goodies HERE!

And, as for some additional reading material:

The following article was the first official press release of the ONLINE LOTR TCG from August, 2002. For those of you who are new to this information…enjoy! And for those who have already read this previously… now is the time to refresh your memory and get in gear for what could become the single most exciting online TCG ever played!

And, most importantly, from now on, you will be able to return to Gaming Havens periodically and follow along with the progress of this fantastic upcoming game as we continue to bring you new information, interviews and updates as the game progressess and comes even closer to completion. But for now, here’s what’s happening:

NEWS RELEASE
DECIPHER® TRADING CARD GAME STUDIO
253 granby street • norfolk, virginia 23510 – 1813
phone • 757.623.3600 • fax 757.623.3630
norfolk • denver • los angeles

DECIPHER ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR ONLINE VERSION OF
THE LORD OF THE RINGS™ TRADING CARD GAME

(NORFOLK, Va., August 28, 2002) — One of the most popular trading card games available today — The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game (TCG) — is about to go digital! The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game Online will open its virtual doors to ‘round-the-clock Internet play early in 2003, Decipher announced today. Decipher is partnering with Worlds Apart Productions, widely recognized for its critically acclaimed online roleplaying game, “The Eternal City,” to produce the online version of the game.

“The Lord of the Rings TCG is simply the most incredible game Decipher has ever created, and we are extremely excited about being able to offer its game mechanics and strategies to even more players through the online version,” said Chairman and CEO Warren Holland. “The popularity of this game and the popularity of The Lord of the Rings story has the potential in my mind to create the most dynamic worldwide online gaming community the Internet has ever seen.”

The Online Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game will allow players to purchase randomly assorted card packs, build their decks, make trades, and play against a multitude of opponents just like they already do with the popular paper version. However, the nature of the Internet will allow players wherever they may be to find an opponent to play no matter the time of day.

Decipher’s partner in bringing The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game online, Worlds Apart Productions, has been developing and managing online games for six years. An announcement was made earlier this week that Worlds Apart will take over Decipher’s online game development, effective immediately. The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game Online will join the already popular Star Trek Customizable Card Game Online, which launched in May 2001.

For Immediate Release. For further information, contact:

Tracey Halliday, Decipher, 757.664.1102
Monica Jones, Decipher, 757.664.1146
Scott Martins, Worlds Apart Productions, 303.863.8199

More to come…

Lao of Gondor

From the folks at action-figure.com: So here’s the story! At last week’s UK ToyFair I mention a lot of your worries about Gollum: about how some of you have had cracks in your Cave Trolls and how you all had major worries about Gollum. Vivid were more than helpful, and told me to hang around for a moment, and went off out back. What they came back with was a Gollum figure, so I could bring you a review and ‘hopefully’ put all your worries to rest. [Review] [Photos] [Shop]

Seems two former members of the LOTR production crew thought it would be nice to get married on the site of a former LOTR set (Rivendell). Take a look at the love-birds’ first kiss. [More]

Irascian writes: Sunday February 9th’s concert includes not just a performance of the movie score by The London Philharmonic Orchestra (who recorded the two soundtrack albums) conducted by the composer himself, but also an “extraordinary animated version of Stravinsky’s “The Soldier’s Tale” made by RO Blechman in 1984 with the soundtrack removed and the music performed live”. The concert is part of “Roots Day” – a day when The London Philarmonic Orchestra tries to open up the insular world of classical music. Wagner’s “The Ring” on stilts anyone? More information on the concert and its part in Roots Day in the attached two scans from February’s issue of “South Bank” magazine. [Page1] [Page2]

Irascian writes: I spoke to a lady at the booking office today and as at midday Sunday UK time there were still “one or two” tickets in the stalls, “a few restricted view seats in the balcony” (restricted view apparently means children might not be able to see, adults should be fine) and “some seats in the rear terrace”. These tickets can be booked online at http://www.rfh.org.uk or by telephoning the box office on 020 79604201.

Elwen writes: Ian McKellen (Gandalf) will be on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Disks next week (Sunday 9th February, Friday 14th). This is an enjoyable programme where the guest picks a series of his favourite music, and there is a lot of time for a long chat about the guest’s life, often quite personal. [More]