Tales of the Shirehas been hit with another delay, being booted back from March 25th to July 29th. While this may disappoint those who were looking forward to a spring release, there’s a potential upside thatTales of the Shirecould take advantage of.
After having already been delayed into 2025 from its original 2024 release date,Tales of the Shirehas been movedto a new launch day once more. Game delays are always a hard pill to swallow, but this case is especially rough—not only because the title’s been delayed already, but it means thatTales of the Shirewill miss out on a fitting release day. March 25 is Tolkien Reading Day, a day dedicated to the written works of J.R.R Tolkien, as well as the date of Sauron’s destruction within the world of Middle-earth. It’s a shame forTales of the Shireto miss out on such an important date for the series, though it’s ultimately better for Weta Workshop to take its time than rush a game out.
Tales of the Shire Could Get In On The Ground Floor of the Nintendo Switch 2
It’s not all doom and gloom forTales of the Shire, however, as those extra four months could give the game a new opportunity. While itwon’t be getting a Netflix port anymore, thanks to the streaming giant’s shift in strategy, Weta Workshop’s cozy Hobbit-simulator might be able to fight itself a new home on the Switch 2. Of course, backwards compatibility would already give it a spot on the upcoming console—but the shift makes a native release all the more likely.
Tales of the Shire Might Just Line Up With The Switch 2’s Unannounced Release Date
The Switch 2’s release date is still unknown, but there’s reason to believe that it could hit shelves in the summer of this year—perhaps even beforeTales of the Shire. More information aboutNintendo’s next console will be revealed April 2, and 2025 is locked in as the release year, barring any delays, which leaves 7–8 months open for a release day.
Moreover, comments from French game publisher and hardware firmNacon has many expecting an April-September window, with prolific leakers like Nate the Hate positing a release as early as May or June. While it should be stressed that nothing has been confirmed by Nintendo itself, many signs are pointing to the Switch 2 launching sooner rather than later—which could giveTales of the Shirea chance to get in on the console’s release with a native port.
How A Native Switch 2 Port Could Give Tales of the Shire A Major Leg Up
TheNintendo Switch owes much of its successto cozy games likeAnimal Crossing: New Horizons,Stardew Valley,Minecraft, and more. Its hybrid functionality made it perfectly suited to games that players can get through at their own pace, allowing fans to pick up and play these titles in short bursts and with comfortable portability—offering an experience akin to mobile but with far more suitable hardware and UI.
These facts make the console a perfect fit fora game likeTales of the Shire, which is set to marry these concepts to one of the most beloved aspects of a well-renowned IP.Tales of the Shirewould be perfect for the launch of theSwitch 2, and a native release would only sweeten the deal. Given that Weta’s statement on the delay avoids any specifics (beyond the need for additional polish), there’s some sense in the idea that the game may even have been delayed with a native port in mind. That’s just speculation, however, but there’s no denying that this unfortunate delay could nonetheless lead to some stars aligning.
