Wētā Workshop announces new release date for Tales of the Shire

With the first efforts dating way back in 1982 (when Melbourne House released The Hobbit, a text adventure game, followed by three other titles by 1989), the list of games inspired by Tolkien's works set in Middle-earth is now impressive. The latest entry in the list that actually made it to the market is The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, developed and published by Daedalic Entertainment and, sadly, so poor in reception and sales that The Lord of the Rings: It's Magic!, a title that would have been its successor, was cancelled. Wētā Workshop's Tales of the Shire is probably going to be the next entry in the list, but those interested in it still have to face a few long months of waiting until its release.

Unveiled in April with a launch date that was supposed to be in the second half of the year, Tales of the Shire is not about fighting any enemies but a life-sim-style approach to the life of a hobbit. This title was supposed to come to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PCs. While the list of platforms supported has not changed, a delay for early 2025 was announced earlier this month. Now there is also an accurate launch date, specifically March 25th.

The reason for the delay was the need to live up to the expectations of the fans and provide a high-quality product. Since this game is also coming with a whole new approach to Middle-earth, one can only hope that Wētā Workshop will take advantage of the additional time at hand and deliver a game that doesn't fail to impress. In the meantime, those interested in reading the books can grab the J.R.R. Tolkien 4-Book Boxed Set: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (mass market paperback box set version) off Amazon for $20.39 (43% off the $35.96 list price).