DECIPHER SEEKS FANS OF "THE LORD OF THE RINGS" FOR EXCLUSIVE CORPS OF PRODUCT CHAMPIONS

(NORFOLK, VA, August 14, 2001) Most of the exciting details surrounding The Lord of the Rings™ Trading Card Game are still strictly confidential, but Decipher is already recruiting talented trading card game enthusiasts to champion the highly anticipated new game.

The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game Product Champions will join the ranks of Decipher's well-established volunteer corps, which include the groups for Star Wars™ CCG, Star Trek™ CCG, Young Jedi™ CCG, and Jedi Knights™ TCG.

"Decipher has honed its experience through the many years of working with the Product Champion teams for Star Wars and Star Trek. That knowledge and our entrenchment in The Lord of the Rings property will be fully applied to making this marketing support program the best ever," said Kevin Reitzel, Decipheršs Product Champion coordinator.

The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game Product Champions will be privy to early details about gameplay and rules, as well as to press releases and card spoilers, and will be among the first to receive the new game itself! Also, they will be given official The Lord of the Rings™ Trading Card Game apparel that identifies the group to retailers and fellow players.

Decipher seeks Product Champions worldwide who have gaming and trading card game experience; work well with people; and have excellent organizational and promotional skills. These individuals will be involved in orchestrating promotions in game and hobby stores; running tournaments and demos; and assisting Decipher staff at conventions.

Anyone interested in applying for one of these coveted positions should contact Decipheršs Product Champion Coordinator Kevin Reitzel at one of the summer conventions or email him directly at kevin.reitzel@decipher.com or by phone at 757/664-1140.

"We are always swamped with applications for our Product Champion groups. With the tremendous excitement surrounding The Lord of the Rings, we have no doubt we will fill these spots early," Reitzel says.

The buzz surrounding New Line Cinemašs trilogy continues to escalate. The official The Lord of the Rings Website ­ www.lordoftherings.net - generated over 350 million hits in the first three months since its re-launch on January 12, 2001. There are at least 400 fan sites exclusively devoted to the production, many featuring countdowns, to the very second, of the first filmšs opening.

Helmer Peter Jackson, whose visionary style of filmmaking and emotional acuity won accolades for his Heavenly Creatures and The Frighteners, brings his deep love for the source material to the project. Produced by Barrie M. Osborne, the films feature a strong international cast that
includes (in alphabetical order) Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Brad Dourif, Bernard Hill, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Ian McKellen, Dominic Monaghan, Viggo Mortensen, Miranda Otto, Hugo Weaving, John Rhys-Davies, Andy Serkis, Liv Tyler, and Elijah Wood. But the real star of the films is the story itself - a classic hero's quest in which the smallest of beings changes the course of the future with the vastness of his courage. For more information about The Lord of the Rings trilogy, go the www.lordoftherings.net

About Decipher.
Founded in 1983, Decipher Inc. is a worldwide leader in the collectible card game industry. Decipher is dedicated to The Art of Great GamesŽ. The company's product lines include the Star Trek Customizable Card Game, Star Wars Customizable Card Game, Young Jedi Collectible Card Game, Jedi Knights Trading Card Game, and The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game ‹ scheduled to release holiday 2001. Decipheršs new Roleplaying Games and Miniatures Studio is responsible for the creation of the all-new Star Trek Roleplaying Game and The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying Games ­ set to launch this year. In addition, Decipher's Games Studio produces leading party, card and board games such as How To Host A MurderŽ, How To Host A Teen Mystery™, Boy Crazy!™, Girl Power!™, PenteŽ, Scratchees™ and more. In 2001, Decipher acquired the staff and assets of FANtastic media, becoming the operator of the Official Star Trek Fan Club. Visit www.decipher.com for additional product and tournament information, news, contests, and interactive features.