Tales of the Shirehasn’t had the best luck so far. First announced in September 2023,Tales of the Shirelooked immediately promising to fans of theLord of the Ringsfranchise, with its life-sim gameplay formula being a natural fit for a Hobbit-focused game. But early previews ofTales of the Shireweren’t too positive.
Originally set to launch in late 2024,Tales of the Shirewas delayed to March 2025. And mere weeks from release,Tales of the Shirehas been delayed once again, with the game now targeting a July 29 release date. While these delays have made many fans a little skeptical that the game will live up to its inherently great premise, many are still willing to take the leap later this year. But even ifTales of the Shiredoesn’t end up sticking the landing, there are plenty of future projects its formula could end up inspiring.
Tales of the Shire Should Just Be The Tip of the Iceberg For Cozy Licensed Games
Tales of the Shire’s Formula Could Work With a Few Other Fantasy Franchises
Though the game isn’t out yet, and obviously still has a lot to prove,Tales of the Shire’s proposed gameplay formula has a lot of potential on paper. According toTales of the Shire’s gameplay trailers, players will be gardening and fishing during the day, using those resources to prepare meals, selling wares to purchase new items and furniture, and using those newly collected pieces to customize their Hobbit home.
It’s nothing revolutionary for the cozy genre, butTales of the Shire’s clear and strong embrace oftheLord of the RingsIPhelps the game to stand out immediately. And that seems like it could be the case for other IPs.
Harry Potteris a wildly successful fantasy franchise, arguably even more so thanThe Lord of the Rings. A cozy game in a similar vein toTales of the Shirebut set in the Wizarding World seems like easy money. Rather than garden and fish, aHarry Pottercozy life-simcould have players taming magical beasts, and rather than visit the local Hobbit market to buy new resources, players could take a trip to Hogsmeade.Hogwarts Legacyalready laid the foundations for aHarry Pottercozy game with mechanics like its beast vivariums. All the franchise needs to do is just separate those mechanics and forge a new, cozy-focused game around them.
Tales of the Shire’s Formula Could Even Fit Some Non-Fantasy Franchises
Tales of the Shire’s gameplay formula even has the potential to be used for franchises that aren’t from the fantasy genre. For instance, aStar Warscozy life-sim could work very well if given enough time and effort. Players could choose one of theStar Warsgalaxy’s most iconic planetsto settle on, and begin to build a virtual life there, gathering local resources, preparing meals, and customizing their humble Sci-Fi abode.
Once established in their new home, players could then unlock the ability to travel to new planets, in a similar vein toAnimal Crossing: New Horizons' Dodo Airlinestransportation system. These planets would have their own unique resources to harvest and characters to discover, thus fueling the gameplay loop by encouraging players to travel across the galaxy to unlock desirable new items and see familiar faces.
