Have you always wanted to live the relaxed life of a hobbit in the Shire? Then a new game on Steam could fulfill this dream perfectly. It is being developed by a studio that is well acquainted with this world.
Which game is this about? We are talking about Tales of the Shire. This life simulation lets you step into the disproportionately large footsteps of a hobbit in the Shire. There, you will engage in activities such as gardening and – as is natural for a hobbit – cooking delicious meals.
The game is being developed by Wētā Workshop – the same New Zealand studio responsible for the special effects in Peter Jackson’s trilogies for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. You can watch a trailer for the game here:
Shire Idyllic instead of Ring War
What is the game about? Unlike most other games set in Middle-earth (such as Shadow of War or Return to Moria), Tales of the Shire takes you to the peaceful Shire. The conflict regarding Sauron and the One Ring is thus far removed from you.
Here, you won’t spend your time in the eternal fight against the forces of evil, but rather in building your own little hobbit village: Waterau. At the beginning, it is nothing more than a small settlement that is not even recognized as a village in Hobbiton.
Before you make yourself comfortable in Waterau, you will create your own hobbit using the character editor. Then, you will start decorating your own home – what would a hobbit be without his hobbit hole?
Friendship through the Stomach
Once you have settled down, you will engage in the next great hobbit virtue: preparing tasty dishes. For this, you will unleash your inner Samwise Gamgee by growing vegetables or fishing in the numerous waters of the Shire.
Your cooking skills will also help you improve relationships with your neighbors. Invite them to a little banquet, befriend them, and trade to make your little community thrive.
Throughout the game, you will also encounter some familiar hobbit families from the films and books and – as a screenshot already reveals – also a wizard infamous in the Shire for being a troublemaker.
When will the game be released? Originally, Tales of the Shire was supposed to be released on March 25, 2025, but the release has been postponed by several months. The new release date is July 29, 2025.
Anyone who is not just superficially familiar with Tolkien’s stories knows that there is more to hobbits than meets the eye. Tolkien himself confirmed in letters who the true hero of The Lord of the Rings is: And he is neither a powerful wizard nor the ring-bearer himself.
