Original Release Date: April 24, 2007
Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar

The Shire. Home of the Hobbits, watched over by Elves and the Dunedain, this quiet pastoral region is not just the starting point of the adventures of Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin, but for all players in LOTRO who choose to play a Hobbit.

Many players view The Shire as the epitome of their experience in LOTRO. The foundational region that sets the tone for their experiences in Middle-earth. The meandering hills, the lazy rivers and streams, and the sense of a peaceful life fill the Shire – and also help make it an uncommon experience in LOTRO, and MMOs in general – with a reduced emphasis on combat throughout it.

The Shire is one of the most iterated upon and polished areas of the game. When designing it, all teams involved felt it crucial to make sure we hit the right atmosphere and experience. For myself, I have fond memories of working in the Shire. Many hours spent carefully winding footpaths along sprawling farms, fields and pastures, and making sure each fence and bush felt like it had meaning and purpose. Giving each town life with decoration and characters going about their business. The Bindbole Wood, north of Hobbiton and The Hill, remains one of my favorite places to have worked on – even with my hands having touched many other areas of the Shire and the game world at large.