I passed these games by when it first came out, but I realized the other day, they looked pretty good! So I went searching for them in the hopes of having a new multiplayer strategy game to play, and I can't find them *new* anywhere. They're not on any of the digital distribution sites, not on Amazon or in any store near me, and they're not even on GoG.com, although it seems if anyone will pick them back up it would be GoG.

Did I miss out? I can't recall not being able to get my hands on any game this recently-produced since forever. I got my hands on a copy of Dungeon Lords, for crying out loud, and I can still find it in nearby stores bundled with the Gothic series. Totally stumped on what exactly happened to it.

/depressed/

looked on ebay.com theres a few new copies there but 25$...

The second one was definitely worth getting. It's odd how they don't seem to be sold anymore. I guess EA's license expired or something. In any case, I'd recommend getting BFME 2 if the opportunity presents itself.

The first one was more tied to the movies, the second has changed the gameplay and became more about Middle-Earth, than about LotR itself.

I like them both and in fact I have the second one + expansion installed right now, for some skirmish battles.

It's EA? :D Maybe GoG will be releasing it in their list of upcoming games, then.

The second one was better for gameplay, but the campaign was boring, and awful. The first one has the coolest campaign ever for an RTS since command and conquer.

It may be EA but its a licensed property. GOG would have to jump though more hoops(like they did for the d&d titles that were originally created by interplay but when they debuted on GOG were "from" Atari.

Basically its similar to the reason you aren't seeing the Star Trek games, the Mechwarrior games, and sports/racing games.

Also I think EA's license expired because they shut down the normal multiplayer servers(it's still actively played on GameRanger;also %^@# MP tied to publisher provided servers-but that's a separate argument altogether)

A couple years ago I managed to buy the anthology pack for like 10-15 dollars at a Best Buy but there is almost no chance of finding it now. If you have a Fry's Electronics you may find a forgotten copy sitting on the self with an overpriced sticker on it. Your best bet would be to find a local Half-Price Books(if you have them around), as I have often seen the first game in series for rather cheap at 1 or 2 local ones.

And there is always Ebay but prices for new copies are completely outrageous.

Anthology new for 140

RotWK used for 30 plus with 10 bids already

The first game for 91 brand new

and

for the collector's edition of the 2nd 150 though its only 60 for the plain version new

IIRC EA allowed the license agreement with New Line to expire shortly after LOTR: Conquest was released, I assume they thought they had milked the franchise as far as they could which is how so many licenses expire. Codemasters still have it for LOTR: Online and that vaporware RPG that's been in developent for about 8 years. While you don't need a license with New Line to make a LOTR game as you only need an agreement with Tolkien's estate you do to use footage, music and characters from the films and BFME was full of it.

Unlikely due to the movie license. Your best bet is to get them off of ebay while they're still available.

lol This is horrible. I want them both. I've been to several Half Price Books within the past few months and didn't see anything noteworthy, other than a ton of Mad Dog McCree games stuck in the back. Fry's also has been seriously cutting back their PC games section, no doubt because of the rise in digital retail.

What a bummer. I'll keep my fingers crossed and keep looking, but it doesn't look like it's possible to get a new copy for anything less than an ounce of gold. Ouch. And I swear I saw it on store shelves not that long ago in the grand scheme of things. It seems rarer than even System Shock 2.

Jesus, the PC versions are going for that much?! I see copies all the time. So weird.

Hell I think I have complete copies of both buried somewhere in my closet...

Where are you seeing these copies? :D

If you don't care about new vs used you can go much cheaper for used and ebay. Here is a used anthology edition so far at 5 dollars.

cheaper anthology

However as stated, its used and even though it says 5 dollars its got 1 bid that I don't know the upper limit on and it still has over 3 days left(as of this post).


If you didn't care about Rise of the Witch King and bought used on Ebay you could probably get both 1 and 2 for rather cheap as well. Its all about patience and what you want.

That's weird since the Anthology is very easy to find new here in Denmark in online stores. Both games are worth getting even if they are a bit easy and basic when it comes to RTS. But both games are actually examples of GOOD movie licence games (yes I know they are based on books). But they are fun if you are a fan of Tolkien's work.

I liked the first one much more. The campaign was really awesome while the second had only a short, boring campaign (or none at all?).

Some years ago I bought them both for 10€(15$) each. This was like the cheapest they would get. Now they have become expensive again. This means that they either have a become a great classic, too valuable for GoG or that demand is so low that EA doesn't care to service this niche.

I see some chances for bringing them 10$ each to GoG.