Summary
- Tales from the Shire will be released on March 25, 2025 for Xbox Series X|S.
- Get insights from Wētā Workshop, the development team behind the game, on how they built the narrative for this cozy life simulation.
- Tales from the Shire based on the books “The Lord of the Rings” by JRR Tolkien.
Hello Hobbits! Exciting news: Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game will be released on March 25, 2025 for Xbox Series X|S. In this shy life simulation, you create your own hobbit to experience the quiet life in the Shire. Based on the legendary book series by JRR Tolkien, Tales from the Shire dares to tread less beaten paths by telling an exciting story that focuses on food, camaraderie and good neighbors.
In the world of Middle Earth, hobbits are a friendly, humble bunch. They love cooking, coziness, and community. Although there are many stories of brave adventurers outside of the Shire, our game takes a small step back and focuses on the relaxing everyday activities of these hairy people. Isn’t it time you took a moment to bask in the summer sun, settle down by a babbling brook, and relax over a home-cooked meal with some good friends? We thought so too.
To gather around the table, you must first create your own hobbit, with a number of very hobbit-like choices to choose from: face shape, personality, hair-foot style, etc. After character creation, your story begins in Bywater.
This small, growing community is home to a delightful band of residents who will ask for your help in establishing Bywater as an official village on the Shire map. A familiar, grey-bearded administrator will kindly drop you off at your new home, and from here you will complete tasks for the many townspeople. As the name suggests, Tales from the Shire is full of stories!
There are many hobbit characters (and even a few non-hobbits) to meet and help. Maybe your neighbor needs help fixing a fence. Or the elderly hobbit next door asks you to satisfy his appetite with a homemade pie. Pay attention, as many of the characters come from well-known families like “Brandybuck,” “Cotton,” or “Took.” As you complete a task for a character, your friendship grows. A big part of being a hobbit is building bonds with your neighbors! Through these connections and conversations, you’ll learn about the individual preferences, quirks, and tastes of Bywater’s characters.
This knowledge will come in very handy when you inevitably host a dinner party. Perhaps you know that Marigold, the talkative landlady of the Ivy Bush Inn, loves sweet, delicious dishes. And over time, you’ve developed a close friendship with Orlo, the town’s postman. Perhaps you’ll discover that he has a penchant for some fragrant herbs in his dishes. To give your two friends an unforgettable evening, you’ll need to cater to their tastes when preparing dishes in your kitchen. Impress your guests and they might help you learn more skills or reveal secret places only the locals know about.
To make all these delicious meals, you’ll need a lot of produce. Roam the fields and woods with Delphi, Bywater’s passionate herbalist, and learn where to find mushrooms, berries and wild-grown herbs. Learn how to harvest wild honey or raise chickens with the help of the Cotton family – all of which will provide wonderful ingredients to fill your colourful pantry. Plant a wild country garden with seasonal vegetables and fruit and style it with trinkets, decorations and furniture. You’ll complete these relaxing activities and more at your own pace.
If you’ve forgotten to plant enough carrots or beans, don’t worry – down at the market, Farmer Cotton and young Tom Cotton sell an abundance of fruit and vegetables as well as meat, Sandyman the miller can be persuaded to order another order of flour, and cantankerous old Noakes (who secretly has a heart of gold) will show you the best places to find fish. Traders visiting faraway lands can offer interesting spices and unusual items not often found in the Shire – just for the experienced home cook looking to expand their repertoire!
Surprise your fellow Hobbits with their favorite dishes and they’ll likely give you something back – or expand their wares for their special customers! Trade is an important part of community culture and a well-thought-out meal always invites a return gift. Hobbits love gifts and the deeper you delve into the community, the more beautiful items you’ll find to decorate your home and garden with.
If you’d rather shop, Burrows’ General Store always has the finest hobbit clothing to customize your look. Willow, the local builder, is happy to help you renovate and extend the house – with the help of her precocious daughter Daisy!
After a peaceful day in the Shire, settle into your hobbit-sized bed and enjoy a restful night’s sleep. Life goes by slowly, but there’s still plenty to do and see tomorrow!
In the end, there are so many bonds you can build Tales from the Shire and there’s so much to do. We’ll touch on some aspects here, but stay tuned for more news, details on other game features and more. We hope you’ll join us for your own Hobbit adventure in Bywater on March 25, 2025. See you then!
