Tales of the Shire is shaping up to be an interesting contender in the cozy life sim genre. Developer Weta Workshop is aiming to show a different side to The Lord of the Rings franchise, with Tales of the Shire putting Hobbit life front and center. Since the game is launching in such a competitive space, many are eager to see how it holds up against the likes of genre heavy-hitters, like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing.
Getting to step into the life of a Hobbit is an exciting prospect for a lot of relaxation-loving The Lord of the Rings fans, but it could be hard for Tales of the Shire to set itself apart. However, one particular feature is incredibly promising, and if pulled off well, then it has the potential to be a source of inspiration for the Animal Crossing franchise: grid-free decorating.
Tales of the Shire May Have an Unexpected Competitor Thanks to Its New Release Date
Now that Tales of the Shire will be launching in the summer, another release could be the cozy title's most surprising competition.
Tales of the Shire's Embrace of Clutter Makes For an Exciting Change to In-Game Decorating
Tales of the Shire's Gridless System Fully Leans Into Hobbit Life
When it comes to Hobbits, one thing is for certain: they love relaxation above all else, and this bleeds over into every facet of their lives, especially their own Hobbit holes. Clutter is not necessarily an issue within this society, and if a player wishes to roleplay as a Hobbit who is a little bit more on the messier side, Tales of the Shire makes that possible.
With games like Animal Crossing, decorating one's space can be far more organized. While this makes a player's home, garden, and surrounding property far more tidy overall, it can also hold back creativity. Tales of the Shire stepping away from the rigidity of a grid system not only helps inspire more decoration ideas, it can make the experience far cozier in the long run, which could really give it an edge on the competition.
Despite the announcement of the Switch 2, Nintendo has yet to reveal a new Animal Crossing game.
Animal Crossing's Grids Can Inspire Both Satisfaction and Frustration
Depending on a player's personality type, Animal Crossing's use of grids can be an organizational dream or a hindrance to self-expression. There's no telling how Tales of the Shire will fare against a heavyweight like Animal Crossing, but when it comes to the gridless approach, fans of the genre may find it far more beneficial for relaxation. Of course, this all depends on whether Tales of the Shire's grid-free decoration mechanics stick the landing or not, but there is definitely a lot of potential lying within this change.
When it comes to Hobbits, one thing is for certain: they love relaxation above all else, and this bleeds over into every facet of their lives...
After a Series of Delays, Tales of the Shire is Almost Here
Weta Workshop's first venture into game development was supposed to release last year, but it was pushed back to March 2025. Obviously, March came and went without Tales of the Shire, so this new July release date hopefully sticks. There are plenty of ways that Tales of the Shire could one-up Animal Crossing, but only time will tell if it ends up doing so.
So far, Tales of the Shire has no clear post-launch roadmap, so it's currently unclear how Weta Workshop intends to keep players engaged when established franchises are among the competition. Tales of the Shire may have a challenging road ahead, but if Weta Workshop can nail its take on the genre, then cozy gamers may be flocking to a new game in the summer.
- Released
- July 29, 2025
- Developer(s)
- Wētā Workshop
- Publisher(s)
- Private Division
- Franchise
- The Lord of the Rings
- Number of Players
- 1
