Summary

  • The Tales of the Shire game is delayed to 2025, pushing back the journey into Middle-earth.
  • The life-sim game is set in the Shire and features cozy activities like gardening and cooking.
  • Fans encourage the development team to take the time to ensure the game meets expectations.

Just days after teasing a major sneak peek coming later this month, Weta Workshop and Private Division have announced that Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game has been delayed to 2025. Tales of the Shire was previously promoted as having an undecided 2024 launch, but the team has unexpectedly made the decision to push back the next journey into Middle-earth.

First announced in 2023, Tales of the Shire takes players to the rolling green hills of J.R.R. Tolkien's Shire from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Taking a much more quaint and relaxing approach compared to other action-packed video games based on Lord of the Rings, Tales of the Shire quickly caught the eye of life-sim gaming fans. However, players will have to wait longer than expected to try their hands at the life of a Hobbit.

Fans of The Lord of the Rings were excited by the recent announcement of the special A Hobbit Day Showcase livestream set for September 22, but it would seem that enthusiasm has been mildly squashed by the sudden revelation of Tales of the Shire getting delayed to early 2025. According to a statement issued via the game's official Twitter account, the release of the peaceful Hobbit game has been pushed back to ensure the team can deliver the desired vision of fans. Specifics on which improvements and final touches need to be made were not shared, though the team did thank players for their patience and continued dedication.

Tales of the Shire Delayed to Early 2025

A number of fans have responded to the delay announcement with words of encouragement, voicing support for the development team and requesting that they take their time to make the game the best that it can be. It was also noted in the official statement that the A Hobbit Day Showcase will still be moving forward and will include information on the new release date. The special showcase is said to include details on gameplay mechanics and characters in Tales of the Shire, so players may want to tune in to the live stream on September 22.

Game delays are by no means uncommon, with various factors impacting launch dates. Audiences were happy to hear that the postponement of Tales of the Shire was a creative decision and not a consequence of the recent string of video game studio woes. Interested fans can stay tuned for any future updates on Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game.

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7 /10

Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game
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Life Simulation
RPG
Adventure
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Systems
PlayStation-1 Xbox-1 super greyscale 8-bit logo PC-1
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Released
July 29, 2025
Developer(s)
Wētā Workshop
Publisher(s)
Private Division
Number of Players
1
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Ex-Annapurna Interactive Staff Take Over Private Division
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Genre(s)
Life Simulation, RPG, Adventure