Private Division, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and Wētā Workshop, known for their work on the world of Middle-earth for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, today revealed Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game, a cosy Hobbit life sim set in the Middle-earth universe of J.R.R. Tolkien. Developed by Wētā Workshop Game Studio, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wētā Workshop, Tales of the Shire will launch in the second half of 2024 on the Nintendo Switch system, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

In Tales of the Shire, experience the storybook return to Middle-earth's most inviting region by living life as a Hobbit in the idyllic town of Bywater. Unwind in the breathtaking pastures, visit the townsfolks' local shops, or even enjoy second breakfast. Help bring the community together and achieve official village status by throwing the greatest Bywater Festival the Shire has ever seen!

Tales of the Shire—a "The Lord of the Rings" game—has been teased by Private Division. The introductory trailer does not contain any gameplay footage, but it indicates that a "cozy" Hobbit-related living habitat will serve as the main environment. A live action sequence shows a character adding yet another drawing to a sketchbook filled to the brim with illustrations of Hobbit life and key Shire locales. Take Two Interactive's indie specialist offshoot will be publishing the game, while Wētā Workshop is listed as Tales of the Shire's main development studio. The latter is best known for creating special effects and props—most notably on the Peter Jackson directed The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies.

Wētā Workshop's move into video games seems to be an odd one—but Take Two Interactive and its development partner did announce an unnamed The Lord of the Rings title last summer—Amie Wolken, head of interactive at Wētā Workshop stated (at the time): "It's a privilege to create a new game set in Middle-earth, especially one that's so different from what fans have played previously. As fans ourselves, we're excited for gamers to explore Middle-earth in a way they never have before, and introduce new fans to the magic of The Lord of the Rings." Private Division has set a very general 2024 launch window, with Tales of the Shire arriving on PC and consoles.