Summary
There have been many video games set in the world of J.R.R Tolkien’s Middle-earth, and most of these have understandably been action-adventure games centered around great combat. However, the upcomingLord of the Ringsgame from WETA,Tales of the Shire, is said to be a cozy game that will let players explore one of the most uneventful regions in the franchise.
Tales of the Shirewill allow players to create their own hobbit and try to bring to life a festival by completing small tasks in Bywater. As such, the game will be closer in tone toAnimal CrossingorDisney Dreamlightthan anything theLord of the Ringsseries has done before. Also, withTales of the Shiretaking place in The Shire itself, many fans are expecting somefamiliarLord of the Ringsfaces to appear in the game.
7Farmer Maggot
The Shire’s Local Farmer
One of the most trustworthy hobbits in The Shire, Farmer Maggot, only has a brief role to play inThe Lord of the Ringsbooks. He shelters Frodo and his companions for an evening before driving them safely to Bucklebury Ferry. In the movies, he is the scythe-wielding farmer chasing Merry and Pippin after they have stolen his crops.
Farmer Maggot may not have a huge role to play in the story of Middle-earth, but he is a big name in The Shire. As an upstanding citizen, his family has been providing food for the hobbits of his land for generations. As such, it is likely that players will run into this hobbit during afood-related or gardening taskinTales of the Shire.
6The Sackville-Baggins Family
Bilbo’s Biggest Fear Before Meeting A Dragon
Tales of the Shireis supposed to be a cozy game, though it doesn’t look like that will prevent the Sackville-Baggins family from making an appearance. These distant relations of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins are a nuisance in The Shire, and the protagonists are often seen hiding from the pair of nosy neighbors whenever they get the chance. Due to their relationship with the Baggins family, both Lobelia and her husband, Otho, believe that they have the right tolive in Bag Endand often hound their distant relations for its contents.
While they aren’t antagonists necessarily, it is easy to see them playing this role inTales of the Shire.There won’t beany terrifying dragonsin the game, so the heads of the Sackville-Baggins family would likely be the next best thing.
5Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry and Pippin)
Two Mischievous Hobbits With Big Ideas
Both Merry and Pippin go on to prove their bravery inThe Lord of the Ringsby accompanying their friend Frodo out of The Shire on his quest to save Middle-earth. However, both of these hobbits have very different lives in The Shire. These two hobbits are close friends of Frodo but spend most of their time causing mischief in their local area. Merry originates from a wealthy part of The Shire, called Buckland, and Pippin is the heir to the Thain of The Shire. As a result, these are two wealthy hobbits with too much time on their hands.
InTales of the Shire, players may need to help eitherMerry or Pippinin some mischievous quests around The Shire. Alternatively, players may need to accrue a bit of money before they can even unlock interactions with either of these hobbits.
4Samwise Gamgee
One Of The Greatest Heroes In Middle Earth
Sam is Frodo’s gardener before he sets off with him to destroy the ring inThe Lord of the Rings.He may not seem like much of a hero to the rest of Middle-earth, but this stout hobbit remains the most loyal to Frodo during his entire journey and is one of the main reasons the heroes succeed in their quest.
In The Shire, Sam Gamgee may not be as rich as other hobbits, but he and his old gaffer are some of the most well-respected people in their homeland. These two salt-of-the-earth gardeners are sure to make an appearance inTales of the Shire,and Sam will no doubt havea few words of wisdomto offer the player whenever he is encountered. Since he is a gardener, he may even provide players with quests related to the hobby.
3Frodo Baggins
A Humble Hero From Small Beginnings
Much like his friends, Merry and Pippin, Frodo Baggins spends much of his time in The Shirecausing mischief or relaxing,living comfortably with the wealth left to him by his Uncle Bilbo. As a result, it is only because of his relationship with Bilbo that anyone in The Shire even knows who Frodo is. Nobody would expect him to become one of the most important heroes in Middle-earth’s history by taking the One Ring to Mount Doom.
Tales of the Shireplayers are likely to encounter a much younger version of Frodo Baggins. He is sure to be included as he is one of the most recognizable names in the franchise. However, he is most likely going to fill a background role in the game.
2Bilbo Baggins
An Unexpected Legend
SinceTales of the Shireis supposed to take place in the years leading up to the events ofThe Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins is one of the most likely hobbits to appear. Much like his younger cousin, Frodo, Bilbo wasn’t considered to be a hobbit that was anything out of the ordinary. However, all that changed when Bilbo decided to go on a quest with Gandalf to reclaim Erebor withThorin and his companyof dwarves. He returned from this quest with a lot of treasure and subsequently became one of the richest hobbits in The Shire.
The nature of Bilbo’s adventures is mostly unknown to the inhabitants of The Shire, but the source of his wealth is heavily discussed. He may be living as more of a recluse in The Shire and preferring to go on adventures to see his old friends afterThe Hobbit,but there is still a great chance that Bilbo Baggins will have a role to play inTales of the Shire.
1Gandalf The Grey
A Roaming Wizard Who Has An Affinity For Hobbits
Gandalf the Grey is one of the wisest, most powerful, and most important characters in all of Middle-earth. He is sent to these lands as one of the Istari and is tasked withopposing the might of Sauron,so he has seen a lot of conflict throughout his time. However, Gandalf loves nothing more than kicking back and relaxing in a carefree environment, and where better can he do that than in The Shire?
As a wizened old man, Gandalf has grown to have an affinity for the gentle hobbits over time and can see value in their basic lives that other people in Middle-earth cannot. It is the knowledge of these creatures that ends up banishing Sauron in the end, saving Middle-earth from evil for good. Gandalf often visits The Shire for a party and is normally the only source of outside information the hobbits have. He may not be liked by everyone in the region, but he is very likely to pop up while players are trying to start a festival inTales of the Shire.
Tales of the Shireis expected to release during 2024 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
