Tales of the Shire is billed as a "cosy game" providing a calmer, more meditative experience than the frenetic pace of traditional video games.
Players create Hobbit characters — from choosing the possessions that adorn their Hobbit-hole homes to selecting the extent of hair on their little feet.
The Hobbit avatars move about in a picturesque Middle Earth world buffeted by seasonal winds and are guided by birds as they tend to their gardens, fish, cook and interact with other townsfolk.
Wētā Workshop founder Sir Richard Taylor said as the world emerged from the height of the pandemic, it made sense to create a game that was a departure from the conflict and drama that fuelled much of the Lord of the Rings films.
"Tolkien described The Shire as Warwickshire circa 1890 type of world. This is pastoral England, this is beautiful days of slashing down the corn in the fields and harvesting, making hearty meals for your family," Taylor said.
He said the game’s look was purposely designed to emphasise the beauty and calm of the idyllic setting that was home to the Hobbits.
Game studio director Tony Lawrence said, at its peak, 54 people collaborated on the game, working out of Wētā’s Miramar workshop as well as from Italy, Australia and California.
The game’s creators were able to draw on the studio’s 25 years of bringing Middle Earth to life to add authenticity to the settings and activities players encountered, he said.
"If there’s a question about Lord of the Rings we’ve quite a few experts just lurking around the place that can help us with anything. If we wanted to understand how a character might make a sword, having a master sword [maker] onsite is pretty good to come watch. They’re the kind of things that you can’t do anywhere else in any other studio," Lawrence said.
Lawrence said the government’s rebate for game developers was an important factor in helping Wētā take the time to develop the game’s detail and depth. — RNZ
