Turbine announced last year it had ended its agreement with VU Games to publish the massively multiplayer game Middle-earth Online. Originally set to launch in June 2005, the game had seen a series of delays that eventually had the Massachusetts-based developer to self-publish the title.

"Our rights extend to any and all MMORPGs based on Tolkien's literary works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. As a result, we are now the developer and publisher of Middle-earth Online," a Turbine spokesperson declared.

In the mean time, "Middle-earth Online" has been renamed to "The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar", while Turbine has joined forces with Midway Games, which will now co-publish and distribute the fantasy PC title by the end of 2006.

This is Midway's first experience with the MMORPG genre, while Turbine's other MMORPG title "Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach" is being published by rival publisher Atari, starting next week. Turbine is also known for formerly successful MMORPG Asheron's Call 2, which shut down on December 30, 2005.