Cozy Lord of the Rings Game Tales of the Shire Delayed to Early 2025

Tales of the Shire is delayed to early 2025, its developer has announced.

Tales of the Shire is a cozy life sim set within The Lord of the Rings universe originally due out this fall across PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch, and Netflix Games. It’s developed by Wētā Workshop and published by Private Division, the embattled subsidiary of Take-Two.

Ahead of a deep dive on the game set for September 22 (the annual Hobbit Day celebration for The Lord of the Rings fans because it marks the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins), Wētā Workshop said it delayed the game to ensure it delivers its vision.

“All of us here at Weta Workshop are excited to have you join us in the Shire, a peaceful corner of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world. When a new Hobbit steps into Bywater for the very first time, we want that moment to be everything you’re hoping for.

“To ensure we deliver that vision, Tales of the Shire will now be launching early 2025. Thank you for your patience and continued support. Be sure to tune in to our A Hobbit Day Showcase on September 22 to learn more about Tales of the Shire and our new release date.”

Tales of the Shire features everything from cooking to fishing and foraging to decorating. There’s also a narrative “that lovingly stays true to the books.” Check out IGN’s Tales of the Shire preview for more.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.