It's fair to say the recent announcement of a The Wheel of Time video game being in the works caught fans by surprise — and sparked a healthy dose of skepticism online.
The announcement, first reported by Hollywood trade publication Variety, detailed an upcoming "AAA open-world role-playing game" for PC and consoles, inspired by Robert Jordan's cherished 14-book series, The Wheel of Time. A three-year development timeline was also mentioned.
The game is in development at iwot Studios' new Montreal-based studio, headed by former Warner Bros. Games executive Craig Alexander. Alexander has a notable track record, having overseen development for Turbine's (now WB Games Boston) franchises, including The Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and Asheron's Call. Normally, this would generate significant excitement among fans. However, it's the involvement of iwot Studios, which acquired the rights to The Wheel of Time (as Red Eagle Entertainment) back in 2004, and the mention of an ambitious three-year development process that have raised eyebrows.
A brief online search of iwot Studios reveals a strained relationship with the core The Wheel of Time fanbase. Numerous posts express skepticism about the company, with some accusing iwot of being an "IP camper." Others argue that iwot has "squandered" the The Wheel of Time IP over the years, with multiple projects that never came to fruition. Fans often reference a decade-old Reddit post that amplifies these criticisms.
This skepticism, combined with doubts about a brand new video game development studio's ability to deliver a triple-A RPG that meets The Wheel of Time fans' high expectations, has fostered a "we'll believe it when we see it" attitude among online communities.
However, The Wheel of Time has seen recent success with its Amazon Prime Video TV series, which just concluded Season 3 (with Season 4 yet to be announced). The show has introduced The Wheel of Time to a new audience, and after initial criticism for significant story deviations in Seasons 1 and 2, it managed to turn things around with a much-improved Season 3.
With all this in mind, I sought more information directly from iwot Studios. Over a video call, I spoke with Rick Selvage, the head of iwot Studios, and Craig Alexander, who leads the company's video game division, to gain insights into the project's status, its scope, what fans can expect, and to get their response to the online criticism.
