The recent announcement of a The Wheel of Time video game has stirred a mix of excitement and skepticism among fans. According to a report by Hollywood trade publication Variety, a "AAA open-world role-playing game" based on Robert Jordan's iconic 14-book series is in the works for PC and consoles. The game is slated for a three-year development timeline and is being crafted by iwot Studios' new game development arm in Montreal, led by former Warner Bros. Games executive Craig Alexander. Alexander previously spearheaded projects like The Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and Asheron's Call, which typically 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) in 2004, and the ambitious three-year development window have sparked doubts.
A quick online search of iwot Studios reveals a strained relationship with the The Wheel of Time fanbase. Several fans have voiced skepticism, accusing iwot of being an "IP camper" and squandering the franchise with unfulfilled projects. A decade-old Reddit post highlights these frustrations, adding to the skepticism. The notion that a newly formed studio could rapidly produce a triple-A RPG to meet the high expectations of The Wheel of Time enthusiasts has fueled a cautious "we'll believe it when we see it" sentiment online.
Despite these concerns, The Wheel of Time has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity with its Amazon Prime Video series, which successfully completed its third season and is awaiting news on a fourth. The show, which initially stirred controversy with significant deviations from the books in its first two seasons, managed to win back much of the core fanbase with an improved third season, attracting a new wave of followers.
In light of these developments, I reached out to iwot Studios for more information. During a video call, I discussed the project with Rick Selvage, the head of iwot Studios, and Craig Alexander, the studio head overseeing the video game development. Our conversation aimed to clarify the project's status, its scope, what fans can expect, and to address the online criticism directly with the studio's leadership.
