Tales of the Shire is the coziest take on the Lord of the Rings universe yet, putting players in the shoes of a Hobbit in the midst of Hobbiton and tasking them with uniting the community surrounding Bywater. You're able to fish in ponds, produce food and crops, forage for fruit, and trade with townsfolk to better your comfy life.
Revealed in 2024 from developer Weta Workshop Game Studio - a subsidiary of Weta Workshop, best known for working on the Lord of the Rings movies - the storybook life sim set in Middle-earth gives off some Stardew Valley vibes and promises to be a great entry point for newcomers, alongside longtime fans of Tolkien's universe. It's long been one of our most exciting new games for 2025, and now that it's been released, we can share some details before you decide to pick it up for yourselves.
