"Wheel of Time RPG Confirmed, No Release Date Yet -，可能为PS6和下一代Xbox游戏"

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” designed for PC and consoles, drawing from Robert Jordan’s beloved 14-book series, The Wheel of Time. The project is slated for a three-year development timeline.

The game is being crafted at iwot Studios’ newly established Montreal-based game developer, headed by Craig Alexander, a former Warner Bros. Games executive. Alexander's past includes overseeing projects like The Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and Asheron's Call. Typically, such credentials would ignite enthusiasm among fans. However, the involvement of iwot Studios, who acquired the rights to The Wheel of Time (originally as Red Eagle Entertainment) back in 2004, and the ambitious three-year development window 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 label iwot as an "IP camper," accusing them of hoarding the rights without delivering substantial projects. Some fans even point to a decade-old Reddit thread that amplifies these grievances.

This skepticism is compounded by doubts about a new studio's ability to swiftly produce a triple-A RPG that meets the high expectations of The Wheel of Time enthusiasts, leading to a widespread "we'll believe it when we see it" sentiment online.

With these factors in mind, I sought to delve deeper into the project by speaking directly with iwot Studios. Over a video call, I discussed the game's development with Rick Selvage, the head of iwot Studios, and Craig Alexander, the studio head overseeing the video game project. Our conversation aimed to clarify the project's current status, its scope, what fans can anticipate, and to address the online criticism head-on.