Update (Mon 23rd Sep, 2024): A few months on, we've now got a release date for Tales of the Shire: A Lord of The Rings Game! It will officially be available on March 25, 2025 for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
You can check out an "exclusive inside look" at the game in the new Hobbit Day Showcase up above.
Original story (Wed 24th Apr, 2024): Ready for a new Lord of the Rings title on Xbox? We're getting one later this year, and it arrives in the form of Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game - a "Hobbit life sim" that's launching in the second half of 2024.
In Tales of the Shire, you'll create your own Hobbit and spend your days customising your home and looking after your garden, as well as cooking, fishing and exploring the town of Bywater as you progress through the game's story.
Scheduled for release on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S (as well as PS5 and PC), Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game is a collaboration between publisher Private Division and developer Wētā Workshop Game Studio, the latter of which has only been in existence since 2014 - so it'll be interesting to see how it turns out!
We'll throw more details about the game down below, along with a few screenshots.
"From the creative studio, Wētā Workshop, live the cosy life of a Hobbit in the wonderfully serene landscape of the Shire. Discover, decorate, and share in this idyllic corner of Middle-earth. Join friendly Hobbits and familiar faces awaiting your arrival in Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings™ Game.
Create your own Hobbit as you set forth in Bywater. Though not yet established as an official village in Hobbiton, play a part in helping the quaint town flourish. Greet comfort at the door as you decorate your own Hobbit hole, tend to your garden, fish at the clear ponds, forage wild fruits and herbs, or trade with townsfolks. Prepare homemade meals to share with fellow Hobbits and foster relationships."