Wētā Workshop and Private Division revealed over the weekend that their life simulator based on The Lord of the Rings universe — the Hobbits community to be precise — will release for PS5 on 25th March 2025. Tales of the Shire looks to replicate the life of a Hobbit before it had to worry about Sauron, with all the usual hallmarks of the life sim genre part of the experience. You can check out a full 18-minute showcase of the game above, featuring in-depth looks at gameplay.

Tales of the Shire is a PS5 title we were able to go hands on with at Summer Game Fest a few months back, where it demoed as "a life sim game in a similar camp to the likes of Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley", except with "a real emphasis here on keeping things simple and stress-free". Working around a day/night cycle, you'll apparently never feel rushed to get everything done while the sun's up.

"Our time with Tales of the Shire was short, but its charming presentation and relaxed gameplay promises a very chilled out experience. We're curious to see how the game holds up over the course of a full playthrough, because it seems relatively simplistic, even if that is by design," we concluded. "Whatever the case, fans of Tolkien's work, or those who want to lose themselves in a cosy world, will surely find a lot to like here."

Will you swap your real life for a Hobbit in late March 2025? Let us know in the comments below.