New maps for 360 LOTR out now

Aragorn's Journey map pack available for download from Xbox Live Marketplace; three maps cost 700 points ($8.75).

The revived interest in J.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings mythos has expanded the fantasy franchise's empire well beyond just books. A plethora of films, posters, and collectibles adorned with Legolas, Gollum, Sauron, and others can now be purchased by any diehard LOTR fan.

Now, one game based on the franchise is expanding, too. The first downloadble content for the Xbox 360 version of Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-earth II is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace.

The new content includes three maps for the game that can be used in both multiplayer and single-player modes. The trio of battlegrounds is titled Aragorn's Journey, and the maps are named Weathertop, Argonath, and Umbar. The file won't take up much hard drive space (7.65MB), but it will cost gamers some cash--$8.75 (700 Marketplace points), to be exact.

Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-earth II is rated T for Teen and retails for $59.99. For more information on the game, read GameSpot's review.

63 Comments

  • The_Pace

    Posted Sep 27, 2006 8:01 am PT

    You all whinge too much. Enough said. In lighter news, THEY'RE ALL FREE!!!

  • GTAG-daver999

    Posted Aug 5, 2006 2:32 am PT

    does anyone think the maps will ever be free

  • danishman87

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 12:36 am PT

    i aint buyin dem

  • djord02

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 12:42 pm PT

    New maps should be $2-3 at most. For $8.75, I would expect some more single player missions or even new units.

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 10:26 am PT

    Damn EA! 1+$ per 1mb! This is milking! It's wiser to get Street Fighter-II instead of this.........

  • Chemosh013

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 7:40 am PT

    you guys do remember that EA just posted an $81 million quarterly loss right??? and they were happy because they had unexpected sales and beat the $87 million or something loss that people were expecting. Point is, developing for next gen consoles is EXPENSIVE! they're not exactly raking in millions and millions of dollars, they're LOSING money trying to get a lot of good next gen games out there.

    now i agree, 700 (bizare number) points is a LOT for 3 freaking maps, but don't buy it. maybe enough people WILL buy it so that they don't have to charge to try and offset this gigantic loss they're taking. or maybe no one will buy it and they'll learn from their mistakes.

    and about the whole 59.99 for a freaking game controversy. I'm sorry but there's factors such as inflation, the fact that a 360 game probably takes a lot more developers to develop than a last generation game console, gas is more expensive to deliver the games, etc. 60 bucks is not bad considering how much enjoyment we get out of games. just sack up and pay the freaking money. they didn't raise the prices on us, that was the bar that the next gen games are set at. if you don't like, go cry and play your gamecube with your 20 dollar classic games and skip this gen.

  • Paul_TheGreat

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 7:09 am PT

    About $9 for 3 maps.

  • speedsimmons

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 6:28 am PT

    first off, 8 bucks is too much for 3 maps, especially in an RTS. BUT, all the EA hating... i remember a blog a few months back where everyone was praising EA for the price drops they were doing.... try and remember EVERYTHING a company does, not just the last thing.... i hate EA, but i just want to throw that out there.

  • SteveTwo

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 5:27 am PT

    Just go buy Galaga for $5. Or anything on arcade if you want to spend money. Atleast that's a deal considering all the quarters I wasted, er... invested in those arcade machines back in the day.

  • sasuke55

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 4:41 am PT

    What a rip I don't have XBL and at this rate I may not get it. Why I mean I like to play with other people but that Nickle and Dime people for not even a 10th of game screw that.

  • OPOLO

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 4:19 am PT

    I had to pull teeth & make a ton of phone calls to higher ups from Gamestop/EB before I got mine for free - Gamestop/EB Stores suck

  • wenbin09

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 1:58 am PT

    didn't have LOTR!!

  • The_Great_Gabbo

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 1:03 am PT

    Ya know what?

    I pre-ordered this game, primarily for the free maps. However, the day I picked it up, the GameCrazy said that they only got 1 freakin' ticket for the free maps, and they already gave it away! I got ripped off, and there's no way i'll be spending that much money on only 3 maps.

    There would have to be at least 7 maps for that price for me to even CONSIDER purchasing them.

  • UnbredVermin-UK

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 12:38 am PT

    Bit too expensive !

  • Sam_Lowery

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 11:08 pm PT

    Wow! You'd think with all the money EA saves by putting out black and white 4 page instruction books, they wouldn't have to rape their customers at every possible opportunity.

  • Riptoo1

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 8:13 pm PT

    Little hard on the wallet EA =p

  • gdogg4210

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 8:06 pm PT

    its a robbery

  • hoserboy15

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 7:53 pm PT

    Im guessing those were the maps you got if you preordered the game lol

  • moocow21

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 7:36 pm PT

    Wow that is expensive... but then again it's EA, so I'm not surprised they are trying to rip peoples' money off.

  • Lewos1

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 6:50 pm PT

    Just when I thought EA were getting a bit better (not licensing official content for the most recent Sims expansion even though doing so would have made them quite alot of money) they try and get away with this.

    If these comments are anything to go by then EA shouldn't have too many buyers...but we are the gaming elite here - common sense rules.

    Just hope the masses enforce a similar boycott.

  • louie2k

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 6:28 pm PT

    wow havent really gone through all the maps yet

  • wheeloftime24

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 5:58 pm PT

    I really can't believe this. This is just stupid. 8.75 for 3 maps. I already payed 20 more for the 360 version then the pc version. I really hate EA. They are not milking me even further.

  • kryptin

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 5:57 pm PT

    5 maps might have been worth, but no way am I spending $8.75 for only 3 maps. I got gipped enough with the $15 GRAW chapter 2.

  • Dic_Dasterdly

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 5:43 pm PT

    Ya, this isn't good. I figure something like this might start occuring. The best thing we can do is not buy it and maybe then we can start getting the whole game the first time we buy it. Oh, and for all of you PC people, I could have swore this was a 360 story. You guys are worse than the sony boys.

  • halohelldaddy45

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 5:35 pm PT

    Hey, guys do you remember when EA had to lay off some of its employees because it didnt make money up to expectations?? So when you buy this kind of stuff, please remember the hard working EA game makers and publishers that are going to be laid off if you dont buy some stuff.

  • Travis281

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 5:29 pm PT

    Just simply, way too much money. The PC version came packaged with more maps for less than the cost of the 360 version. Three extra maps is a relatively tiny amount of content for $8.75.

  • PSone

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 5:21 pm PT

    These guys must go to sleep on a bed off money every night..... this pricing is just wrong.... definately will not be buying.... 3 maps really this is a joke.

  • EvanO_O

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 5:18 pm PT

    Yeah, the GRAw maps were a better deal. hell, the PDZ map pack was a better deal considering the lack of maps for the game.

  • fore_runner

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 5:14 pm PT

    Kor Jax

    A good PC for $800?
    yea right

    more like 5x as much as an X360 for a good PC

  • jburde

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 5:08 pm PT

    I'll think about buying it. I love this game but 8 bucks for 3 maps?!

  • rayzor6

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 5:01 pm PT

    I have no problem paying for premium content...but close to 8 bucks for 3 maps is ridiculous. If this is going to be EA's standard pricing for any added content, I will unfortunately just not buy their games anymore. This is the only way that they will understand: that pricing is TOO high for what it is. I remember get a slew of FPS maps on Rainbow Six for $5! C'mon...especially when they were maps that were already done and should have been included.

  • VegetaMaelstrom

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:53 pm PT

    I'd hold off on getting theses maps because in a few months they will probably be free. For only three maps 700 points is too high but remember this is from a company who is charging $20 for a one hour pay-per-view special about the making of a game. I'm interested to see just how low EA can really go.

  • hepcat00

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:46 pm PT

    lame....the maps should've been shipped with the game to begin with at $60.....an example of the downside of XBL and digital copy management. so we can expect more "add-ons" that should be already included in the original purchase price, and incomplete games (such as bad framerate on a "fixed" console system). thank goodness there's the XBL demos and game rentals to steer clear of crap!!

  • SteveTwo

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:37 pm PT

    Do these maps come with a patch that smooths out the framerate? I'd pay for that patch, and if you want to throw in some maps, that would be cool. In the meantime I will consider returning it when DeadRising or some other game that plays like a next-gen and not just look and sound like one comes out.

    If I wanted to play a jerky version of the game I'd have bought the PC version and played it on my slightly outdated PC.

  • Benny_is_here

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:35 pm PT

    Good to see content that doesn't cost 400, 800 or 1200, at least....
    Meh, I don't even have the game

  • TimSpot GameSpot staff member

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:34 pm PT

    @bossjimbob - i dont know, i'm thinking Cabbage Patch now...

  • jeebs213

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:32 pm PT

    i learned my lesson with Battlefield 2: Euro Force. EA isn't getting any more of my hard earned dollars!

  • cocote2049

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:29 pm PT

    FRIGGIN ROBBERY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • advent6

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:23 pm PT

    Too much money...not enough maps. I will pass on these 3 maps.

  • hemakm3

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:17 pm PT

    Not buying.

  • readingfc_1

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:14 pm PT

    They were all on the collectors edition of the PC game on launch. The collectors edition on pc was still cheaper than the 360 version though. Such a rip off!

  • Kayrod29

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:07 pm PT

    LMAO those maps were suppose to be on the game itself. no way can they finish 3 maps in less then 3 weeks. BS EA blows

  • bossjimbob

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:03 pm PT

    @TimSpot: Why, he's doing the Curly Shuffle, of course.

  • soulknight63133

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 4:03 pm PT

    Sorry Chromebound, since I already have a console and have friends and family that come over to game with me on the weekends using my PC is not an option.

  • Chubbums

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 3:58 pm PT

    I'm beginning to wonder if any content download is free nowadays on Xbox Live.

  • mariomaniac92

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 3:56 pm PT

    Uh? Only 3 maps!?

  • KorJax

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 3:49 pm PT

    Yep, you get what you paid for.

    You could choose to purchase a much cheaper-than-PC 360 that can run anything on the market, as long as it can be played with a controller. However, each game cost $10 more than a standard PC's version, and is less custmizable and shapable than the PC versions. This isnt bad though if you just want to pop it in and play the game.

    But then they introduce add-ons, which cost about $5-$10 a piece.

    Or, you could go for the PC version. The PC costs mabey as much as 2x more than a 360. But everything is highly custmizable, you can play EVERY genre of game (not just games that only work on consoles), you have the freeware and Open Source games to download online for free, all commercial games are $10 cheaper than 360 ones, and most importnatly:

    All content and mods for all games are completely free, and there are already dozens if not hundreds of files to add-on to your game for most games. Not to mention you can even make your own if you bother to take the time to learn how.

    You get what you paid for

  • tischla

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 3:48 pm PT

    for 3 maps. that ridiculous. im not getting it. thers already a nice bunch of maps that came with retail. and i doubt achievement points will come with multiplayer maps. if they wer graw style maps where they had an actual campaign to play on it, i would understand, but its not like that. i'd rather use those 700 points towards street fighter 2.

  • Yammazul

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 3:43 pm PT

    Great just what EA needs, more money! guess 3 billion a year doesnt cut it anymore, fact is no one should buy these maps on principle, if we tell them were happy to pay that for only 3 maps what do you think they will do with ALL thier other franchises coming to the 360, extort large amount of money for small amounts of content, not to mention the Witch King expansion thats prob going to come to the 360 for this game, make a stand now and say no to EA's ways if you care about value for money

  • nenoneno

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 3:43 pm PT

    Forget EA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 9$ for 3 maps, are they crazy?????????????

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