The recent announcement of a The Wheel of Time video game in development undoubtedly took fans by surprise, and understandably stirred up a fair amount of online skepticism.
First reported by the Hollywood trade publication Variety, the news described an upcoming "AAA open-world role-playing game" for PC and consoles, based on Robert Jordan's beloved 14-book fantasy series. A three-year development timeline was also revealed.
The project is being handled by a newly established Montreal-based developer under iwot Studios, led by Craig Alexander, a former Warner Bros. Games executive. Alexander previously oversaw development for all of Turbine's (now WB Games Boston) franchises, including The Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and Asheron's Call. On the surface, this kind of pedigree would normally generate significant fan excitement. However, it's the mention of iwot Studios—which acquired the rights to The Wheel of Time (as Red Eagle Entertainment) back in 2004—and the notably short three-year development cycle that have caused many to raise an eyebrow.
A quick online search for iwot Studios reveals a somewhat strained relationship with the series' dedicated fan community. I came across numerous posts from wary fans, with some labeling the company as "IP campers." Others feel that iwot has "squandered" the potential of The Wheel of Time IP over the years, with several projects failing to materialize. Many fans frequently cite a decade-old Reddit post that details even more grievances.
Combined with widespread doubt that a brand-new studio can seemingly appear out of nowhere and deliver a triple-A RPG that meets fan expectations, the prevailing online sentiment has become a cautious "we'll believe it when we see it."
On a more positive note, The Wheel of Time has enjoyed considerable recent success with its Amazon Prime Video TV series, which just concluded its third season (a fourth season has yet to be announced). The show has introduced the fantasy world to a whole new generation of fans. While it initially alienated some longtime readers with significant story deviations in its first two seasons, it managed to win back much of the core audience with a vastly improved third season.
It was with all this context in mind that I sought to learn more directly from iwot Studios. Over a video call, I spoke with Rick Selvage, the head of iwot Studios, and Craig Alexander, the studio head for their video game division. My goal was to better understand the project's current status, its scope, what fans can realistically anticipate, and to present them with the online criticism for a direct response.
