Developer, Wētā Workshop, and publisher, Private Division, have today announced a brand new Hobbit centric Lord of the Rings game, coming 2024.
In a hole in the ground, there lived… future me, ignoring the world while playing this game.
While not much is actually known about Tales of the Shire, it has been described as a “cozy Lord of the Rings game set in the Middle-Earth universe” and I am hyped. Based on the title we can be pretty certain that it will be set in The Shire, land of the hobbits – a beautiful region of Middle-Earth with rolling green hills, flowing rivers, and surrounding forests, and one would assume that if there is a player character, they will be a hobbit.
At this point all we can do is speculate, but I’m hoping it will be a lovely peaceful town builder similar to Animal Crossing, or even a farm simulator like Stardew Valley, where I can just sit back, relax, and live my best hobbit life. Honestly though, even if it just turns out to be a garden simulator set in The Shire, I will be there for it; and if it has VR compatibility, nobody will be hearing from me for a long while. I wouldn’t even be surprised if they have a little cameo appearance by the enigmatic Tom Bombadil. Just imagine, you’re out and about constructing taverns, hobbit holes, or maybe exploring the woods and here comes ♫ Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo! ♫. I would freak.
A short official teaser for Tales of the Shire has been released by Private Division via their YouTube channel. While the teaser doesn’t show any gameplay or give much away, it is still a cute little video with a lovely rustic aesthetic and hobbit vibes, which is such a mood, and hopefully gives us an idea of the tone the game will have.
Tales of the Shire is due to be released some time in 2024 for consoles and PC. For more information as it is revealed, you can follow the game’s official social media accounts on Twitter / X, TikTok, and Facebook.
