For Hobbit Day 2024, Weta Workshop and Private Division shared a playable demo of their new cozy game Tales of the Shire, and Happy Hobbit got to play the game! The release date has also been moved to Spring of 2025, across all gaming platforms.
Playing, foraging, cooking and sharing in the Shire
So what’s the game like? After playing for around 90 minutes, Kellie writes:
The Tales of the Shire demo is just enough to whet my appetite for more! The gameplay is intuitive and straightforward. The base options to customize your character’s appearance give you enough choices to make them unique without being overwhelming, and there appear to be slots to unlock future clothing/accessories. The premise of moving into Old Ruby’s hobbit hole and slowly fixing it up as your character (originally from Bree) meets the folk of Bywater is reminiscent of other cozy games I have played, yet has its own unique Shire flair (I didn’t have time to try out this feature, but you can furnish and decorate your hobbit hole!). I was surprised by how full of life and character the dialogue is as you interact with the locals (it made me laugh several times). Being a demo, I haven’t yet explored much of the geography, but what I did contained serene and bucolic vistas that often made me pause to take it all in. The music, as well, is equally as atmospheric and soothing, often interspersed with periods of quiet and birdsong. These elements combine to create an engaging, calm, and immersive gaming experience. Shortly after I stopped playing to go water my own garden in real life, I found myself wanting to play more! The full game won’t be out until next year, so I had to content myself with some rustic beef stew for dinner… because I just couldn’t leave the Shire.
Other Tolkien influencers and gamers also got to play the preview, and most of them spoke all of the character dialog in their own hobbity voices. It’s quite charming! Watch the Happy Hobbit demo play through below or on YouTube.
Official Press Release for Tales of the Shire
Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings Game Launcheson March 25, 2025
Fulfill your dreams of living the idyllic countryside life of the Shire! Spend your days full of jovial meals with Hobbit friends, foraging for tasty morsels, and decorating your home early next year
New York, NY – September 23, 2024 – Private Division, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), and Wētā Workshop, the creative studio known for their work on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, revealed yesterday during a showcase that Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings Game will launch on March 25, 2025 on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Netflix Games.
Watch the showcase to find out more about all the exciting features and inspirations behind the game on YouTube.
Embark on a cosy adventure in Tales of the Shire where you experience the quiet life of a Hobbit in J.R.R Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Begin by creating your unique Hobbit avatar, choosing from a variety of very Hobbit-specific features to express yourself – including foot-hair styles and personality ‘moods’ that bring your character to life. Perhaps your Hobbit is a friendly soul with fiery red hair, a cute button nose, and bright green eyes? Or maybe your Hobbit is more of a Sackville curmudgeon, with a broad nose and balding hair! The choice is yours. Then set out to make your home in sleepy Bywater and enjoy the simple pleasures of life in the Shire.
“Wētā Workshop has been trusted with J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth universe for more than 25 years, and over that time we have built up a deep understanding of the lore and a real love of Middle-earth that flows through our creative work across screen, collectibles and now, our cosy sims games,” said Richard Taylor, Co-founder and CEO at Wētā Workshop. “Tales of the Shire allows us to inspire our talents in an entirely new medium and, ultimately, create this game for people just like us – fans of The Lord of the Rings. This is a beautiful way that players who are looking for a quieter, more peaceful time can discover this in a less explored corner of this universe.”
This small, growing community is home to a delightful cast of residents, who will request your aid in placing Bywater on the Shire’s map as an official village. To accomplish this goal, you will grow and nurture relationships with other characters. For most Hobbits, the best way to build bonds with others is through the comforts of a warm meal.
Much like in real life, cooking requires proper preparation, careful attention, and a “dash of this or that” for the perfect feast. Chop up home grown vegetables, sauté foraged mushrooms, perhaps add a tart pickle or a dollop of sweet jam to balance the dish. Every meal has various steps to complete to earn multiple stars, all in an effort to present a dish that satisfies and delights your guests.
As a newly established Hobbit, you’ll have access to the essentials – a bedroom, a cosy lounge, and of course – your pantry and kitchen to prepare meals for expected and unexpected guests. From these humble beginnings, you’ll soon be able to expand your space and supplies – fishing, foraging, gardening, and trading with your neighbours. This will quickly enable you to establish a well-stocked pantry and upgraded tools for harvesting and cooking. The shops of Bywater are bustling with many vendors who are willing to sell you all kinds of ingredients, as well as decorative items for your Hobbit home. Meet humorous and interesting characters like Old Noakes; while he may seem a bit cantankerous at first, he is a master angler. Not only can he give you tips on improving your own fishing skills, and help unlock secret fishing spots, he trades his daily catches. Nora and Fosco Burrows’ shop is stocked to the brim with adornments for your home as well as other charming items to fill out your wardrobe. There are many other Hobbits awaiting you in Bywater, so be sure to meet and invite them over for a second breakfast!
If you are not feeling up to the bustle of the market, wander through the fields and the forests to scavenge for seasonal items. Collect some juicy berries for a fresh summer tart or mushrooms to add to a harvest pie. Butterflies often flutter by and when closely followed can guide you to new discoveries. Beyond the rounded opening of your Hobbit home, a short venture reveals a bounty – your very own garden. This fully customisable area allows you to place multiple plots. Want to place a daybed in your garden? Perhaps you’d like to create a summer table setting? The space is yours to create! Your garden offers a personal touch to your Hobbit life, and here you can grow a variety of fruits, vegetables, spices, and other harvestable ingredients. Just be sure to take proper care by watering and checking on them daily.
In addition to the hills’ ample harvest and your ability to cultivate plants in your garden, you can catch a variety of fish in the various streams and bubbling brooks around Bywater. Relax by taking a moment to cast your lure in a stream. Watch the bobber closely and hook a big catch for your next meal!
“The Lord of the Rings is an extraordinary world, beloved by hundreds of millions, and people have been clamoring for a game to bring the community, fellowship, and warmth of the Shire to life,” said Eric Correll, Vice President, Head of Marketing at Private Division. “In Tales of the Shire, Wētā Workshop has created the countryside village of Bywater like no one else could do, and we can’t wait for gamers to unwind, relax, and explore.”
Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game is possible due to Middle-earth Enterprises having licensed the literary works of The Lord of the Rings series and providing Wētā Workshop Game Studio with the creative license. The game is coming March 25, 2025 for the Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Netflix Games, and PC via Steam. Tales of the Shire is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and visit www.talesoftheshire.com.
Private Division is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
About Middle-earth Enterprises
Middle-earth created by J.R.R. Tolkien is the definitive, deepest, richest and most beloved fantasy world of our time. As its stewards and custodians, our goal is to consistently deliver a wealth of great content in both new, and known formats; to ensure Middle-earth’s rightful place as the world’s leading fantasy IP and brand, forever. Inspired by our deep appreciation for the fictional world created by Professor Tolkien, we are dedicated to working with those providing highest quality products in accordance with best green business and sustainability practices, including fair trade, equality in the workplace, and a commitment to protect our earth, its wondrous beauty and the viability of every living creature. Middle-earth Enterprises was acquired by the Embracer Group in 2022, and has been producing and licensing films, merchandise, electronic games, services, and live stage productions based upon The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books, for more than four decades. Visit our website at www.middleearth.com.
About Wētā Workshop
Wētā Workshop brings imaginary worlds to life by delivering concept design, physical effects, collectibles, immersive visitor experiences and games to the world’s entertainment and creative industries.
Established by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger in 1987, we are best known for our screen work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Avatar, and Dune, our immersive visitor experiences, Gallipoli: The Scale of our War, Expo 2020 Dubai’s Mobility Pavilion and Wētā Workshop Unleashed. Based in Wellington, New Zealand, Wētā Workshop’s ground-breaking work has earned us multiple international awards. Wētā Workshop Game Studio was established in 2014 and is led by an experienced team of creative game developers and film veterans who bring Wētā Workshop’s signature storytelling, technical innovation and artistry to our games studio.
Private Division is a developer-focused publisher that partners with the finest creative talent in the video game industry, empowering studios to develop the games that they are passionate about creating, while providing the support that they need to make their titles critically and commercially successful on a global scale. The Label publishes the Kerbal Space Program franchise, No Rest for the Wicked from Moon Studios, The Outer Worlds from Obsidian Entertainment, Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey from Panache Digital Games, OlliOlli World and Rollerdrome from Roll7, Penny’s Big Breakaway from Evening Star, and more. The Label publishes the physical retail edition of Hades from Supergiant Games on PlayStation®, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. For more information, please visit www.privatedivision.com.
About Take-Two Interactive Software
Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher, and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. We develop and publish products principally through Rockstar Games, 2K, Private Division, and Zynga. Our products are designed for console gaming systems, PC, and mobile, including smartphones and tablets. We deliver our products through physical retail, digital download, online platforms, and cloud streaming services. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at http://www.take2games.com.
All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.
On a blustery March afternoon in San Francisco, when the clouds skirting past the tall buildings threatened showers of rain amidst the bashful bouts of sunlight, a handful of wanderers tucked into an office nook for a chat about a game of special significance. Three had come all the way from New Zealand to attend the Game Developer’s Convention (GDC) for the week, while two of the travelers were California locals. It was a merry meeting indeed, and I was delighted to have the opportunity to ask some questions about the upcoming video game Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game™.
Hailed as the first “cozy” game set in the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien, Tales of the Shire is highly anticipated by fans of the gaming genre and The Lord of the Rings afficionados alike. Made in partnership with Private Division, Wētā Workshop are creating a Tolkien experience unlike any other, centered on the quaint, quiet lives of Hobbits in the Shire.
“This is our love letter to Middle-earth,” said Calliope Ryder, the lead games producer for Wētā Workshop, “looking at it through really cosy eyes. We wanted to build something that was about the Shire, that was about Hobbits, with a visual look no one had seen before. There’s a strong narrative and strong elements of gameplay, but the most important part is that it’s peaceful. It’s about slow Hobbit living.”
Hobbitcore delight
Anyone who has followed my webseries Happy Hobbit on YouTube knows that my sister, family, and friends have been all about “slow Hobbit living” and celebrating a simple life for over a decade now. This game was music to my ears. “It sounds like it’s pure Hobbitcore,” I gushed.
“We are very keen to make all the Hobbitcore people happy,” said Morgan Jaffit, Executive Producer, with a broad smile. “That’s very important to us.”
“Hobbitcore” refers to an aesthetic similar to Cottagecore, highlighting slow living, simple food, friendship with the earth, gardening, cozy settings, and of course, quaint adventures: in short, anything that falls under the umbrella of living like a Hobbit in a romanticized fashion.
While Tales of the Shire is far from the first game set in Middle-earth, its gameplay is unique. Previous games such as the wildly successful Shadow of Mordor (2014) produced by Monolith Studios and Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, and its sequel Shadow of War (2017) involve gameplay centered on violence, stealth, and killing. While there is a place for such slasher games, having an alternative focused on Hobbits, food, and community is a wonderfully therapeutic accompaniment.
Diversity in gaming
Perhaps it is the female-dominated realm of Cottagecore content giving this impression, but I had a preconceived notion that cozy games, such as my current favorite Wylde Flowers by Studio Drydock, were largely the realm of female gamers, which isn’t the case. As Ryder explained, “If we think about it in demographic terms, the stats that I’ve seen previously say that cosy is roughly 60% women. I think you’d be surprised by the diversity in the cosy setting; It’s more about what motivation that player has to be there, and that’s what we try to deliver.”
These assumptions are not without merit. For decades, gaming was a male-dominated realm, filled with games made by boys for boys. While the gaming industry is still a notoriously toxic space for women, progress is being made, and Ryder’s career is living proof. While plenty of women enjoy slasher games, cozy games have the appeal of being simpler in nature so that, while perfectly suited to longer gaming sessions, one may dip in for 20 minutes between other responsibilities and still feel satisfied having achieved a bit of soothing escapism.
Therapeutic escape
This need for therapeutic virtual spaces became prominent during the global pandemic. The concept for the game was born out of a desire to escape into the Shire amidst the uncertainty and fear of 2020.
“That’s one of the initial inspirations to make Tales of the Shire,” explained Ryder. “It sort of sprang up around that time, and there was this big cosy Cottagecore boom at the time because people want to connect with nature. This was our version of looking at what we know, which is TheLord of the Rings and Middle-earth, [and asking], how can we create something that really gives back, and gives people an escapist experience in a place that they would really want to go to, and leans into that Cottagecore and Hobbitcore aesthetic?”
Make no mistake, this is the game I have been waiting for nearly all my life. “To me, it sounds therapeutic.”
“Exactly,” Ryder replied. “I play cosy games to relax or to process things. And this is a game in which we want people to feel like they can unwind and chill in the Shire.”
Lingering in the Shire
Before the announcement of Tales of the Shire, the closest Tolkien gamers could get to cozy virtual Hobbit content was The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) produced by Standing Stone Games and Middle-earth Enterprises, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. While segments of LOTRO take place in Hobbiton, and there is certainly much Shire exploration in the open world of the MMORPG, the gameplay centers around quests and is lovingly loyal to the novels, where little time is spent in the idyllic countryside dotted with Hobbit holes and kitchen gardens.
“The engine that drives everything when you look at the journeys across both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings is this love of time and place, and it came from Tolkien’s passionate reminiscing of the world that he grew up in,” explained Jaffit. “We don’t spend much time in the Shire on the screen or in the novels, but it’s always there because it’s the thing that drives the engine of everything else. It’s the special thing about which you have a sense of loss, and a sense of wanting, and a sense of home. The Shire is the place that you actually don’t spend much time in but is constantly romanticized. So why not build something there? Everyone’s talking about it all the time. Live there? Yeah!”
Childhood inspiration
Jaffit’s enthusiasm is palpable and doesn’t just originate from a love of a fictional locale. Growing up on a farm in Victoria, Australia, he and his large family, “worked on the land and worked with horses in a small country town. Certainly, my upbringing is about rural town living and what that means. And this is a game about rural living and what that means, and it means something very special because it’s also progressively fading away.”
“Not to make my childhood sound incredibly idyllic,” Ryder added, “but I also grew up on farms in the Waikato region of New Zealand which, if you know much about TheLord of the Rings films, is in the same region the Shire was filmed. Something that would make me really happy is if players can feel just a little bit of what I felt when I was growing up feeding chickens, when I was only this big,” Ryder paused to hold her hand a few feet up from the floor. “They were actually terrifying dinosaurs!”
Having likewise grown up with a family garden, chickens, horses, and other livestock, I have a keen connection with the land and forest surrounding my home. Many people are not as fortunate to have had the same experiences as we three, and providing a digital space for others to connect with an agricultural lifestyle, the cycle of the seasons, and living in friendship with the Earth is a means of keeping a fading way of life alive and accessible.
“I really want our players to get a sense of the best bits captured in my memory of what it was like growing up in Waikato, New Zealand,” said Ryder.
“As we lose our living links to the past, we see that resurgence in interest as we realize that we have to ask for those stories from our parents or else miss the opportunity to hear them,” explained Jaffit. “You have to ask about the stories of the people you meet, otherwise you miss the living link.”
Return to a pre-industrialized world
The irony of discussing how Tolkien created the Shire out of nostalgia for the pre-industrialized world of his childhood, as we shared our mutual love of farm life in that room in San Francisco, against the backdrop of the Silicon Valley, surrounded by skyscrapers representing “big tech,” was not lost on anyone. “We live in such a busy world,” I offered, “and in a world where there’s so much negativity being crammed down our throats from every angle. I think that the timing couldn’t be better for a game like this.”
“It’s a bit bleak that ever since we started, we were being like ‘oh, the timing couldn’t be better,’ but it’s still like that. Now the timing really couldn’t be better,” agreed Ryder. “People need this cosy game. People need cosy things and people need that link [to the natural world] you are describing, and I really hope that they will get a little taste of that experience.”
While not everyone can have access to idyllic spaces like the Shire in real life, a virtual experience brought to life by Wētā Workshop is the next best alternative.
“Wētā Workshop is better at place than anybody on the planet,” said Jaffit. “What this game is about is building a place that is warm and gentle and beautiful, that you can get to visit and be inside and understand and appreciate. I think it’s really special.”
Handcrafted with care
“This game in particular feels very handcrafted,” Ryder elaborated. “So even though we have this enormous IP that is beloved world over, it’s a very handcrafted, loving take on an experience that feels more indie. Many of us working on the game haven’t come from film, or haven’t had other experiences with LOTR, but we do come from the indie scene, and we really infuse that love and care and the closeness that we want to build with community in an organic way.”
“It is a very ‘creativity first’ approach,” I offered, and both Ryder and Jaffit agreed. As a former Wētā Workshop crew member myself (helping pen Middle-earth from Script to Screen with Daniel Falconer), I greatly admire the way the Company not only honors but celebrates the creative process and collaboration. The team behind Tales of the Shire was able to draw upon Tolkien experts Daniel Falconer and Sir Richard Taylor for feedback as the game was developed, to ensure attention to detail and accuracy; both of which are incredibly important to a fanbase known for its love of lore.
Well-known characters – and a mystery duck
Set in the Third Age of Middle-earth, Tales of the Shire promises to have some familiar faces appear. While we seem to have already glimpsed the Wizard Gandalf in the teaser trailer, Tolkien fleshed out a great many of the Shire locals, and gamers can expect to encounter them. “We have some more [obvious characters] I think most people will recognize from the world they know, and then we have a lot of subtler ones for the hardcore fans who are really deep into the lore… and you’ll have some moments with them.”
One seemingly original character who caught the imagination of fans from the very first images released from the game is a duck wearing a Dwarven helmet. TheOneRing.net’s Discord and broader social media in general has been alive with speculation over the mystery duck. “Yeah, she is in herself a bit of a tease of something to come that we haven’t seen yet,” shared Ryder. “She’s a hint. She’s the Easter egg. She’s got a name. I won’t give you a name right now, but she has one.”
While the identity of this Mystery Duck remains a closely guarded secret for now, the presence of other fine-feathered friends didn’t escape my Hobbit senses. “In both teasers, the sound effects of chickens are featured heavily,” I said, before going in for what is likely the burning question all fans want answered. “Can we expect chickens to be integral to the game?”
“They will,” Ryder laughed. “Maybe not as much as we’ve hinted, but they are definitely there. Yeah, we have had quite a bit of fun.”
The full trailer for the game and release date have yet to be announced, so I remain in suspense amidst my fellow gamers as to the role of chickens and the identity of the Mystery Duck in Tales of the Shire.
Tales of the Shire will be available on PC and consoles, with a mobile version to be released via Netflix. Watch the announcement trailer below.
Kellie is known as “Kili” on Happy Hobbit, but also writes Fantasy novels and hosts a podcast under her pen name, K.M. Rice.
Private Division and Weta Workshop have today shared a trailer for their upcoming sim game, Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game. It’s a bucolically blissful as you might expect; see for yourself:
Coming in the second half of 2024, Tales of the Shire will be available for Nintendo Switch™ system, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Here’s what the official press release tell us:
Welcome Home, Hobbit! Private Division and Wētā Workshop Announce Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game
Upcoming cosy The Lord of the Rings game set in the Middle-earth universe inspired by the books of J.R.R. Tolkien arrives later this year
New York, NY – April 22, 2024 – Private Division, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), and Wētā Workshop, known for their work on the world of Middle-earth for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, today revealed Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game, a cosy Hobbit life sim set in the Middle-earth universe of J.R.R. Tolkien. Developed by Wētā Workshop Game Studio, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wētā Workshop, Tales of the Shire will launch in the second half of 2024 on the Nintendo Switch™ system, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
In Tales of the Shire, experience the storybook return to Middle-earth’s most inviting region by living life as a Hobbit in the idyllic town of Bywater. Unwind in the breathtaking pastures, visit the townsfolks’ local shops, or even enjoy second breakfast. Help bring the community together and achieve official village status by throwing the greatest Bywater Festival the Shire has ever seen!
“We’re excited to provide players with the opportunity to fulfil their fantasy of living their own humble Hobbit life in the Shire,” said Kelly Tyson, Head of Product at Wētā Workshop. “Tales of the Shire brings a cosy new dimension to the way fans can experience Middle-earth, with plenty of wholesome, Hobbit- centric gameplay to win-over newcomers to the genre.”
Create and personalise a Hobbit with an array of customisations to experience the world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved Middle-earth universe your own way. Settle in and decorate a cosy Hobbit home, choosing from an array of furniture and home décor to create your unique, humble abode. Then head outdoors to Bywater for plenty of cooking, fishing, foraging, gardening, and more relaxing activities in the Shire. Toss your lure to catch trout from the glistening waters of Bywater Pool, gather wild mushrooms, and then use the collected ingredients to bake a succulent pie to serve for luncheon. With a full belly, stroll back outside to explore the Shire and build relationships with the Bywater locals by helping them to build a garden, sharing one of the many daily Hobbit meals, and more.
“The team at Wētā Workshop is creating a brilliant representation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved works that gives players the agency to create their own Hobbit experience in Middle-earth,” said Michael Worosz, Chief Strategy Officer, Take-Two Interactive, and Head of Private Division. “Players have been clamoring for a warm and inviting The Lord of the Rings game for years now, and it’s exactly what we’re delivering with Tales of the Shire.”
It’s no surprise that a video game in which Weta Workshop have had a hand should be stunning to look at; here are some screenshots from the game:
Become a Hobbit, decorate your Hobbit hole, and then explore the Shire to your heart’s content; what could be better? Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game can’t come soon enough!
