Wētā Workshop announced that Tales of the Shire, the upcoming cozy Lord of the Rings game, has been delayed until July 29, 2025.
Tales of the Shire was originally supposed to come out March 25, 2025. Wētā Workshop addressed fans in a post on X, saying that it wants the game to “feel like a warm hug from Middle-earth,” which is what caused Tales of the Shire to be delayed. The studio wants every detail to feel right (yes, including the customizable Hobbit foot-hair styles).
Tales of the Shire is a comfy life sim game set in Bywater, one of the familiar towns in the Shire. In the Shire, life is much slower. Hobbits, the beings that live in the Shire, live life focused on the small things, like sharing good meals together.
Meals are actually at the center of most things in Tales of the Shire. Whether you’re farming, fishing, or foraging, most of the time, you’re doing it for meal ingredients. Players can throw parties where they can show off their culinary skills and get closer with the townsfolk.
Cooking isn’t as simple as pressing a button either — players will need to time their steps perfectly, choose meals that perfectly fit the palette of the Hobbit(s) they’re cooking for, and more.
Of course, relaxing, exploring, and customizing your Hobbit home are all part of the game. Between customizing your Hobbit and your Hobbit home (which is on a free, non-grid basis with multiple rooms), there’s plenty of ways to make the game feel like a virtual home.
For more news on upcoming cozy sim games, check out Global Farmer and Pizza Slice.
