If you had your eyes set on getting Tales of the Shire, an upcoming The Lord of the Rings game, this spring, then you’ll have to wait a little longer. On February 20th, the developers Wētā Workshop Game Studio announced that the release of Tales of the Shire had been pushed back from early 2025 to July 29th, 2025. The reasons they gave was that they wanted to make sure the game was ready for release on all platforms.
The Official Statement From Wētā Workshop Game Studio
The delay of Tales of the Shire was posted on the game’s official Facebook page. It reads the following:
Dear Fellow Hobbits,
A good Hobbit feast takes time, and so does Tales of the Shire! We’re taking a little longer to ensure that every Hobbit, on every platform, can enjoy the same cosy experience. The game will now launch on 29th July 2025.
We want this game to feel like a warm hug from Middle-earth, and we are making sure that no matter where you play, you’ll feel right at home in The Shire. From foot-hair styles to the fluffiest cakes, every detail will be just right.
We appreciate your patience and cannot wait for you to experience life in The Shire this summer. In the meantime, arrange the table, polish your silver and get ready for a feast fit for a Hobbit!
Looking forward to welcoming you to Bywater.
From the folks at Wētā Workshop Game Studio
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- Originally set for a release in early 2025, Tales of the Shire should now arrive in the summer.
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- The game needs a little extra time to get it finished before it falls into players’ hands.
Possible Reasons for Delay
Based on what the official statement says, it seems like the release for Tales of the Shire has been pushed back due to more work being needed on the game. It sounds like the game is more-or-less finished, but the developers are possibly finalizing things, such as ironing out bugs and addressing other lingering issues. It might also be that the game is ready to go on some platforms, but others might need some extra time and work to get them up to the same level of polish as the rest of the platforms.
The delay is of course disappointing, but this can also be seen as a good thing. The fact that the developers have chosen to delay the game’s release means that they’re striving to make sure it’s as polished and ready as it can be before it goes out and everyone can get their hands on it.
There have been cases with other games where they’ve been released and littered with bugs that sours the player’s experience. Wētā Workshop Game Studio obviously want to avoid this situation with Tales of the Shire.
The delay may have been a difficult decision to make, but it is also the right one if this is the case. It’s better to delay a game and have it polished and playable upon release, than to release a game riddled with annoying bugs, some of them that makes the game virtually impossible to play.
This isn’t the first time Tales of the Shire has been delayed. In September 2024, it was announced that the game was delayed from 2024 to early 2025.
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- Hobbits sure do like their food, so expect to get busy in the kitchen.
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- Hobbits also enjoy gardening.
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- There’s nothing cozier than a Hobbit Hole.
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- Trade with other Hobbits.
What Is Tales of the Shire?
If you’re unfamiliar with Tales of the Shire, this is a brand-new game from the world of The Lord of the Rings. Many games in this franchise have been released before, but nothing like Tales of the Shire. Instead of traveling across Middle-earth and fighting armies of orcs and other monsters you might encounter, Tales of the Shire sets out to be a cozy experience for more casual, laid-back players.
In Tales of the Shire, you assume the role of a Hobbit, the gentle folk who occupy the peaceful rural region of the Shire. This game is specifically set in a village called Bywater, where relaxing activities include cooking, gardening, fishing, foraging, and trading. You can also decorate your Hobbit’s home, and explore the area’s forests, lakes, and pastures.
If you’re interested in getting Tales of the Shire, it will be available on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch with the new release date set for July 29th, 2025.
