Lord of the Rings fans who also happen to love cozy gaming got great news last year when Weta Workshop announced Tales of the Shire. This game is all about living a hobbit life, full of fishing, food, and friends. It was originally slated for a late 2024 release date, later being delayed to March of this year. Unfortunately, it seems those Hobbits still aren’t quite ready to join the dinner party, and Tales of the Shire has once again been delayed. The game has now set its sights on a July 29th release date, thanking fans for their patience as the studio continues to work on the perfect Hobbit feast.
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The message from Weta Workshop regarding the additional delay will feel familiar to anyone who’s been keeping an eye on Tales of the Shire. Once again, Weta affirms that they want the game to “feel like a warm hug from Middle-earth” which means they need more time to make sure everyone can “feel right at home in the Shire.” Much of this echoes the sentiments expressed when the initial delay was announced.
Clearly, Weta is taking its time to ensure that Tales of the Shire feels like a truly realized game at launch. The pressure of such a popular IP combined with the high expectations of the cozy gaming community likely feel like big Hobbit-sized shoes to fill. In particular, Weta’s statement seems to address many early reactions to the character models, which many fans weren’t impressed with. They explicitly call out game details like “foot-hair styles” as part of what they’re still working to get right. Though many gamers and Lord of the Rings fans are looking forward to the game, most reactions to this and the initial delay confirm that fans want more studios to prioritize the quality of the final product over a swift delivery.
What We Know About Tales of the Shire So Far
The second delay comes as a blow to those gamers looking forward to their Hobbit lives in Bywater. For many, it’s not a complete surprise, as Tales of the Shire had yet to reveal its pricing or share any preorder details despite having announced a March 25th release date. Despite that, Weta Workshop has shared somewhat frequent updates, including a few behind-the-scenes looks at the game’s development, design artwork, and features. Those details confirm the game is still being actively worked on, while also giving fans some sense of what to expect when the game does finally arrive.
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Thus far, Tales of the Shire has shown off several elements of gameplay, including videos showcasing Hobbit-hole decorating and cooking. These early looks have many fans excited about the game’s overall vibe, with the beautiful animation of the Shire alongside so many staple activities cozy gamers want to see – food, fishing, farming, and of course, community building. We also have an early sense of the game’s overall goal, building up Bywater and ensuring it’s well respected throughout the Shire.
Despite the excitement these gameplay previews have generated, many fans continued to express concerns about some of the animations and the character models. This may in part be what Weta wants to keep fine-tuning before the game launches on its new release date of July 29th. At any rate, it looks like Lord of the Rings fans will need to wait a bit longer before we can disappear into the Shire for second breakfast.
What do you think about Tales of the Shire getting another release date delay? Let us know in the comments below!
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