Highlights
- Tales of the Shire is a mysterious upcoming game set in the cozy and peaceful world of the Hobbits, offering a refreshing departure from the war-focused themes of The Lord of the Rings.
- The game's teaser suggests that players may not directly participate in Shire activities but rather experience them through a visual novel-like format, potentially offering a unique and immersive storytelling experience.
- With its focus on the leisurely and wholesome lifestyles of Hobbits, Tales of the Shire has the potential to be a charming and heartwarming adaptation of the Lord of the Rings IP.
The Lord of the Rings is easily one of popular culture’s leading fantasy IPs and will likely be a point of comparison for the foreseeable future. J.R.R. Tolkien’s seminal work laid out phenomenal world-building for Middle-earth that would stretch between many diverse locations and races, all helping contribute to the overarching tropes and motifs that the genre has employed since. However, while its war-torn lands and epic battles have been overly represented, one of The Lord of the Rings’ most quaint environs is getting its own upcoming game now, dubbed Tales of the Shire.
Essentially nothing is known about what Tales of the Shire will entail, such as what genre of game it actually is. The only known details right now are that it is being developed by Weta Workshop, published by Private Division, and planned for a release on PC and consoles as a means to invite players to enjoy a “cosy Hobbit life”. The teaser trailer evokes the life of a creative Hobbit, though the downward shot of their desk shows modern items such as headphones, begging the question of what exactly this game will be. Either way, it is likely to be the IP’s most discrete game yet, and that will hopefully be a boon.
The Lord of the Rings is Characterized by Its Time of War
Not much time is spent in the Shire before Bilbo is enlisted to help the dwarves reclaim their homeland in The Hobbit, nor before Frodo is tasked with destroying the One Ring as Sauron’s armies threaten Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings. But seeing the idyllic hills and meadows of the Shire at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring does more than establish an inciting incident for Frodo as Gandalf strips Bilbo of the One Ring.
Knowing what Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin are all fighting for when they step out from the comfort of their homes gives the Shire that much more significance as the hope is that they will be able to preserve its peaceful, heartwarming nature. The Lord of the Rings obviously extends far beyond the Shire to tell a robust story with many diverse races and political allegiances, and by the time the Hobbits are back in the Shire the weight of how much they’ve changed is plainly apparent in comparison to how little has changed in their humble abode.
By this point, the Hobbits have all experienced harrowing challenges and grown immeasurably as individuals due to what they’ve had to endure to cleanse Middle-earth, especially Frodo as the ring-bearer himself. Many games since have capitalized on the war fantasy punctuated in The Lord of the Rings and have benefited from it, but the first The Lord of the Rings game to be announced following Daedalic’s Gollum and a new The Lord of the Rings MMO should be a rejuvenating reminder of what the Hobbits fought for.
Tales of the Shire Can Revel in the Hobbits’ Cozy Leisure
Rather than the soul-splitting revenge tale of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor or the beloved licensed adaptation of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Tales of the Shire looks to offer a starkly opposite experience for the IP. Based on its incredibly restrictive description thus far, fans can expect that they will be treated to the indulgent respite that Hobbits enjoy on a daily basis, whether they prefer to rest in their homes and document their adventures, farm in lavish fields, or drink ale at the Green Dragon inn.
The presentation of Tales of the Shire’s short teaser suggests that the game could potentially be akin to a visual novel, where players might not actually take part in the Shire’s ongoings themselves but hear about the joyful day-to-day activities of Hobbits otherwise. Return to Moria is offering fans an opportunity to immerse themselves as dwarves mining and surviving deep within Khazad-dum, though, and a similar immersive sim with players getting to explore the Shire and complete wholesome activities like in games such as Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing would be a wonderful adaptation of the IP into a tried-and-true gaming genre.
Tales of the Shire is scheduled to release on PC and consoles in 2024.