Developer Wētā Workshop and publisher Private Division have announced a Tales of the Shire delay, with the cozy hobbit game now set to launch sometime early next year.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the two studios say that the game needs a little extra time to cook, and so it's being pushed back to early 2025. It was originally due to arrive sometime this year.
Wētā and Private Division's reasoning is pretty standard stuff in video game delay terms; Tales of the Shire needs to be "everything you're hoping for", and the extra time is to ensure the developers can "deliver that vision" of a cozy hobbit life sim.
It's not all bad news, though. A new Tales of the Shire release date will be announced during the Hobbit Day Showcase, which will be held on September 22nd and which will also contain new info about the game.
If you're not sure exactly what Tales of the Shire is, it's a Lord of the Rings game in which you take control of a hobbit and build a life for yourself in the small hobbit village of Bywater.
You'll be able to do all the stuff you'd expect from a life sim; create your own hobbit, interact with the locals and get to know them, and grow crops and plants in your garden. You'll also be able to fish, forage for fruit, and trade with other hobbits around town.
Unlike many other Lord of the Rings games out there right now, Tales of the Shire isn't really interested in giving you a grand adventure; it's more about letting you live a chilled-out life in a cozy corner of Middle-earth.
You'll be able to pick up Tales of the Shire when it launches on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch sometime next year. You can also check out our preview right here to find out what life as a hobbit in Bywater is like.
