"Wheel of Time RPG Confirmed, No Release Date Yet -，可能PS6和Next Xbox"

It's fair to say that the recent announcement of a The Wheel of Time video game being developed has taken fans by surprise, igniting a mix of excitement and skepticism across the internet.

The news broke via Hollywood trade publication Variety, which detailed an upcoming "AAA open-world role-playing game" set for PC and consoles, based on Robert Jordan's beloved 14-book series, The Wheel of Time. The game is slated for a three-year development period.

The project is being spearheaded by iwot Studios’ newly established game development studio in Montreal, under the leadership of Craig Alexander, a former Warner Bros. Games executive. Alexander has a strong track record, having overseen the development of several successful franchises at Turbine (now WB Games Boston), including The Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and Asheron's Call. Normally, this would be a cause for celebration among fans, but skepticism arises due to the involvement of iwot Studios, which acquired the rights to The Wheel of Time (originally as Red Eagle Entertainment) back in 2004. The mention of a three-year development timeline from a brand new studio has also raised eyebrows.

A quick online search reveals a strained relationship between iwot Studios and the dedicated The Wheel of Time fanbase. Numerous posts from skeptical fans describe iwot as an "IP camper" and accuse the company of "squandering" the The Wheel of Time IP with several unfulfilled projects. A decade-old Reddit post further amplifies these criticisms.

The skepticism is compounded by doubts about whether a newly formed studio can deliver a triple-A RPG that meets the high expectations of The Wheel of Time fans, leading to a widespread "we'll believe it when we see it" sentiment online.

However, The Wheel of Time has recently enjoyed success with its Amazon Prime Video series, which concluded its third season (with a fourth yet to be announced). After facing backlash for significant deviations from the books in Seasons 1 and 2, the series managed to win back fans with a well-received Season 3, introducing the saga to a broader audience.

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, the studio head overseeing the video game project. Our conversation aimed to clarify the project's current status, its scope, what fans can expect, and to address the online criticism head-on.