Cozy Hobbit life-sim Tales of the Shire headed to Switch and PC soon

Weta Workshop/Take-Two Interactive

We’ve known Tales of the Shire existed for a while, but Wētā Workshop finally, officially, announced the cozy Hobbit life-sim with its first trailer. Tales of the Shire will launch sometime in 2024’s second half for PC and Nintendo Switch, along with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Unlike every other Lord of the Rings game, there’s no conflict in Tales of the Shire – no war, no evil shadow lurking just over the horizon. There’s just you, your hobbit friends, and a rural idyll in the Bywater region, which the residents hope can become a proper village if they throw a big enough festival. Party planning seems like your end goal, but like in more open-ended games such as The Sims, you’re free to do whatever you want as well.

“We’re excited to provide players with the opportunity to fulfil their fantasy of living their own humble Hobbit life in the Shire,” Wētā Workshop head of product Kelly Tyson said in a press release. “Tales of the Shire brings a cozy new dimension to the way fans can experience Middle-earth, with plenty of wholesome, Hobbit-centric gameplay to win over newcomers to the genre.”

Cast a line and catch some trout, visit the hamlet’s market, tend a garden, or spend with the locals and do them a kindness if they need a helping hand. Back in your cozy Hobbit hole, Wētā promises you have free reign to decorate with dozens of unique furnishings, rugs, and decor sets that look like little recreations of the styles we saw in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies. 

“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,” Take-Two’s chief strategy officer Michael Worosz said. “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.”

Check out the trailer for yourself on YouTube. Tales of the Shire has no set release date yet