FFG will take over U.S. publication of the title from Wizards of The Coast. FFG's publication will take place in partnership with Sophisticated Games, Hasbro UK, and the Diamond-Alliance distribution group.

In addition to the main LotR game, FFG will be publishing the first expansion for the LotR board game entitled Friends and Foes (shipping October 2001) and the brand new The Hobbit board game (also shipping October 2001).

Friends and Foes also was designed by Knizia and illustrated by Howe. The Hobbit board game is a family game designed by ex-Wizards employees Micheal Stern and Keith Meyers and illustrated by Ted Nasmith. Both Friends and Foes and The Hobbit will be manufactured in Germany.

"Needless to say we are thrilled about publishing these games," said Fantasy Flight CEO Christian T. Petersen in a press release. "As a long-time student and fan of Tolkien's work, this is like a dream come true."

Sophisticated Games managing director Robert Hyde said, "As Tolkien fever increases in anticipation of the release of the movie this December, the game is already a big hit worldwide. We have every confidence that Fantasy Flight and its associates are uniquely prepared to position this game as a number one bestseller in the U.S. and Canada this fall and way beyond."

Arrangements for distribution were in large part made possible by the Diamond-Alliance distribution group, who will be the exclusive exclusive distributor of these games to hobby game and comics retailers in the U.S. and Canada. Diamond Comics distributors will also act as the exclusive distributor for these games into most mass market and book market accounts in North America.

"We are pleased to be working closely with Fantasy Flight to bring this very fine series of games to market" said Dan Hirsch, CEO of Alliance Distribution.

"We see these board games as ideal products for both full-line game stores and other types of retailers who carry games as a sideline," added Diamond vice-president of purchasing Bill Schanes.

Fantasy Flight, Inc., a corporation with offices in Roseville, Minnesota, is a leading U.S. hobby market producer of board games, role-playing games, card games, and customizable disk games. FFG's products include the Diskwars fantasy battles game, the Twilight Imperium board game, the Blue Planet v2 role-playing game, and the Legends & Lairs line of d20 System adventures and supplements.

Sophisticated Games is a UK Limited Company specializing in the development of high quality boardgames with literary associations. Alliance Games Distribution is the leading distributor in the hobby-game market. Diamond Comics Distributors was founded in 1982 and has grown to become the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books, graphic novels and related merchandise.

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