Middle-Earth, the creation of J.R.R. Tolkien, has been the backdrop for numerous video games over the years across multiple genres. There have been full-on RPGs, there have been RTS titles, MMOs, and so on. In the case of Tales of the Shire by Weta Workshop, though, things are a bit different. This game, as the title suggests, is all about being a Hobbit and living your best life in the Shire. However, like many “cozy games” out there, the team made the game simple to play and enjoy, with the only real “stress” being making your farms grow crops and then bringing everyone together for a nice meal.
ComicBook.com got to chat with Creative Director Stephen Lambert and Lead VFX Artist Simon Baker about the game and its origins. Unsurprisingly, it was inspired by an event that left the world feeling very alone and desperate to connect with others: The Global Pandemic. Baker revealed:
“At the time, we’re in the depths of lockdown and COVID and everything, so you could see how people were just kind of craving something that was an escape… that was a bit more easygoing and idyllic, and that seemed like a perfect match, really, that you could escape your apartment or whatever it was and go live in this cozy Shire.”
While the game is “cozy” by design and nature, the team at Weta Workshop also knew they couldn’t just ignore the rest of Middle-Earth, as The Shire was a part of that world, and many would expect little teases and references to make everything feel even more connected.
So, they chose the path of “trying to weave in as many connections to the world as possible while also keeping in mind that we’re really focusing on the Shire, and it’s got a little community that is kind of protected from the wider craziness of Middle-earth.”
That’s not to say that there isn’t plenty of Shire-based lore in the game, as there’s plenty. Tales of the Shire makes numerous references to characters and key families within the Hobbit nation, and the team even had a “Tolkien Scholar” present to help everything come together in a narrative/lore way.
Gameplay was obviously important, too, and things like the cooking system were a great focus for the developer, who apparently had a former pro chef on their staff! Go figure. Cooking has many layers to it, and that leads to the “Shared Meals” that will be key throughout the title, and you’ll work hard to make every meal special when the game drops on console and PC tomorrow.