Pandemic reveals Lord of the Rings Conquest

EA returns once more to the golden money spigot that is The Lord of the Rings franchise with The Lord of the Rings: Conquest. Currently under development at Pandemic, IGN states that Conquest is essentially the studio's Star Wars: Battlefront set in the LOTR universe. Players will take control of the series' many creatures and characters (no word on whether or not the game will feature heroes å la Battlefront) and wage war on some of the films' most famous battlefields. The game will also include battles not featured in the films (dare we hope for the Battle of Bywater?). Conquest will feature up to 16 players online, 4 player co-op (online and local), where players will fight battles that feature up to 150 characters on screen at one time. The game will include both a good and evil campaign, including a scenario in which Sauron -- the leader of the evil forces -- reclaims the One Ring. Expect Conquest to arrive in fall 2008.