"Wheel of Time RPG Confirmed as Open-World, No Release Date Yet"

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"Wheel of Time RPG Confirmed as Open-World, No Release Date Yet"

May 13,25

It’s fair to say that the recent announcement of a The Wheel of Time video game being in development has taken fans by surprise, stirring a mix of excitement and skepticism across online communities.

The news, initially reported by Hollywood trade publication Variety, detailed an upcoming "AAA open-world role-playing game" for PC and consoles, inspired by Robert Jordan’s beloved 14-book series, The Wheel of Time. The project is slated for a three-year development period.

This ambitious project is being spearheaded by iwot Studios' newly established game development studio in Montreal, under the leadership of former Warner Bros. Games executive, Craig Alexander. Alexander's impressive track record includes overseeing the development of major titles such as The Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and Asheron's Call. Typically, this would be a cause for celebration among fans. However, the involvement of iwot Studios, which acquired the rights to The Wheel of Time (originally as Red Eagle Entertainment) back in 2004, and the ambitious three-year timeline have raised eyebrows.

A quick online search of iwot Studios reveals a strained relationship with the dedicated The Wheel of Time fanbase. Numerous posts from skeptical fans accuse iwot of being an "IP camper" and criticize the studio for allegedly "squandering" the The Wheel of Time IP over the years with several unfulfilled projects. A particularly vocal 10-year-old Reddit post encapsulates these frustrations.

The skepticism is further fueled by doubts about whether a brand new video game development studio can realistically deliver a triple-A RPG that meets the high expectations of The Wheel of Time fans within such a short timeframe. This has led to a widespread "we'll believe it when we see it" sentiment online.

However, *The Wheel of Time* has recently enjoyed significant success with its Amazon Prime Video series, which concluded its third season to positive reviews (with Season 4 yet to be announced). The series has introduced the saga to a new audience and, after initial backlash over deviations from the books in Seasons 1 and 2, managed to win back much of the core fanbase with a well-received Season 3.

With these developments in mind, I sought to gain more insight directly from iwot Studios. Through a video call, I discussed the project with Rick Selvage, the head of iwot Studios, and Craig Alexander, who leads the studio's video game division. Our conversation aimed to clarify the project's current status, its scope, what fans can anticipate, and to address the online criticism head-on.

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