Amazon Could Rue Shocking Decision for The Wheel of Time Game Adaptation

As Amazon’s take on Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time wraps up a very successful third season, recent developments may come back to haunt it in the future. While its live-action adaptation of the highly acclaimed series of novels has hit all the right notes for fans of the franchise, the studio’s decision to turn to a newly formed gaming division to create a video game adaptation has raised a few eyebrows.

An open-world title based on The Wheel of Time is reportedly in the works, and is being developed by iwot Games, an in-house studio helmed by Craig Alexander, whose previous work with Warner Bros. Games earned him a place at the new studio.

An Interesting Twist in the Pattern

We’ve previously talked about how The Wheel of Time could be the perfect setting for an open-world RPG. The franchise’s expansive lore, compelling characters, and highly detailed political landscape could be a blessing to any studio looking to create an experience that withstands the test of time while pushing the boundaries of what video games can offer to their audiences.

While there is an argument to be made in favor of Amazon looping in iwot Games for its video-game adaptation to maintain continuity with its live-action adaptation and reports of a couple of feature films on the way, the decision is indeed baffling considering there is no shortage of talented studios who could very well work with it to ensure that the new title remains faithful to its counterparts.

Can the Wheel of Time Game Live up to the Dragon Reborn’s Legend?

While the new title is certainly far from its final release, one can only hope that iwot is able to recreate the magic of its source material in the same way that the show’s latest season has done. The latest season of the show has made several interesting deviations from its source material, using those changes to establish a narrative that managed to win over newcomers to the franchise and long-term fans alike.

An interesting fact to remember is that iwot Studios has retained the rights to The Wheel of Time since 2004, with its CEO Rick Selvage hoping to bring the franchise to different entertainment platforms while retaining most of what made it special in the first place, as per an interview with DualShockers.

 It’s an open-world game, and it’ll be everything with the ‘Wheel of Time.’ Everything that is covered in the books, as well as all the backstory elements of it. Adapting such a legendary mythology into an open-world RPG is a rare and ambitious challenge. It takes vision, scale, and a vibrant creative environment…”

While there is no indication of whether the new game will feature characters from the Two Rivers in its storyline, fans of The Wheel of Time will hope that the upcoming title shares their talent at altering the threads of fate and deliver an experience that matches the size and scope of the franchise’s well-established world.

But until there is more news on its progress, Amazon is sure to wonder if its latest decision bears a hint of the madness that awaits The Wheel of Time’s lead character as he inches ever closer to his destiny.

For more Thumb Wars Gaming coverage, check out our review of Outworld Station or our round-up of everything you need to know about Sandfall’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

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