<Tr> <Th> Genre (s) </Th> <Td> Real - time strategy </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Mode (s) </Th> <Td> Single - player, multiplayer </Td> </Tr> <P> The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle - earth is a real - time strategy video game developed by EA Los Angeles for Microsoft Windows . It was released in December 6, 2004 and is based on Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, in turn based on J.R.R. Tolkien's original novel . The game uses short video clips from the movies and a number of the voice actors, including the hobbits and wizards . It uses the SAGE engine . The sequel, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle - earth II, was released on March 2, 2006 . </P> <P> The online servers of The Battle for Middle - earth were permanently closed on December 31, 2010 by EA Games, due to the expiration of The Lord of the Rings video game license . </P>

Lord of the rings battle for middle earth origin