EA to distribute Red Eagle's 'The Wheel of Time' adaptations

by Ross Miller { Jan 15th 2009 at 11:05AM }

While we're still not getting our hopes up, Red Eagle's The Wheel of Time games now have a distributor in the form of Electronic Arts. We wish we could tell you more, but that's literally the only new info we have since we first heard about the adaptations back in November.

In case you missed it the first time: Upstart developer Red Eagle Games, an off-shoot of WoT film production studio Red Eagle Entertainment, is planning to release tie-in games for all consoles, computers, handhelds and wireless devices ... and it's going to launch and operate an MMO based on the series. Excited? Yeah, us neither.

Tags: red-eagle, red-eagle-games, robert-jordan, the-wheel-of-time, wheel-of-time

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Courtney @ Jan 15th 2009 11:13AM

There's so much potential in this world for a good game, but I have no faith in a developer being able to pull it off, especially not when they are targeting every platform under the sun.

ZeroCorpse @ Jan 15th 2009 11:15AM

Barely two years after Jordan's death and already they're pimping his property into things he probably wouldn't have approved. WTG, publishing industry!

sigh

Shagittarius @ Jan 15th 2009 11:18AM

I doubt Jordan approved of what he himself did with his properties after the first 3 books.

(The Award-Winning) dark_inchworm @ Jan 15th 2009 11:21AM

Have I ever introduced you to my Kurt Cobain figurine?

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 15th 2009 11:29AM

I dunno. Jordan himself wrote the forward for.the terrible d20 adaptation of his universe. Turns out, he was the dm for all of the d&d gamed his kids play. How cool would that have been (assuming your into d&d).

Jerk Face @ Jan 15th 2009 11:34AM

Yeah, the books really lost something after the third. And the first three were SO good, too. A shame.

And as an aside, I would love to play in Robert Jordan's Dnd game.

Shagittarius @ Jan 15th 2009 11:48AM

From what I understand Jordan had written a trilogy. The 3rd one was to be the end. Someone convinced him then that money was more important than personal integrity so he continued to churn out crap until he died.

I made it through the 5th book and had to stop because I absolutely HATED all of the characters you were supposed to like by the end of that book. It almost gave me Tourette's syndrome.

WRE @ Jan 15th 2009 12:27PM

Yeah, Jordan only knew how to write one type of woman and, yeah, she was invariably a bitch and, yeah, that makes about 1/2 of every WoT book annoying. But I just recently reread them all without a break and I liked the later books a lot more. I highly recommend doing it that way. And Shag, the Fires of Heaven was awesome.

borland502 (SDF Macross) @ Jan 15th 2009 1:20PM

Dunno, I rode the train of Jordan worship 'till book six. I still like the series, but it's not the unmitigated Potter-like lust for each new book anymore.

Jordan is a good contrast to JK Rowlings. Rowlings likewise probably milked the series longer than she needed to, but she always had focus and a definite end in mind. She made bank while keeping the clichè alive, "Always leave 'em wanting more."

Still, like David Eddings (another author that's played out), Jordan will still generate fond memories.

chispito @ Jan 15th 2009 1:28PM

I loved the first book, tolerated the second book, and couldn't get through the third book due to the annoyingness of certain characters and the knowledge that nobody had anything good to say about the (then) next six books.

Blah @ Jan 15th 2009 5:39PM

To Shagittarius- You have the details mixed up a bit. Jordan wanted it to be a trilogy, but he found out while he was writing book 2 that it would be impossible to finish it in three. He never released the third book as the end, it wouldn't make much sense since the main character is absent for most of the third book and why build up the plot that he has to beat the dark lord for 2 books and then end the series with him getting a sword and thats it. Plus if you look back there is alot of foreshadowing that happen in first 2 books that happen much later (rand losing hand, how mats going to lose an eye ect.)

aj @ Jan 16th 2009 5:16AM

I made it halfway through book 10 before I gave up.

Any writer who can end a book with a MAJOR plot development like the one at the end of book 9 and then write a sequel and completely and utterly ignore that plot twist that should have changed EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD is, in my opinion, a writer not worth reading anymore.

But if you enjoy a minor character taking a bath for a hundred pages, then you'll love book 10.

dabamf @ Jan 15th 2009 11:20AM

w00t about w0t! I had to go there.

Mike @ Jan 15th 2009 11:29AM

WoT has already been turned into a great game. An unreal engine fps that came out in like 1999.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 15th 2009 11:41AM

If by great you mean terrible, then yes. Making WoT a pure FPS (which it was, with angreal being your "guns") was blasphemy.

Mike @ Jan 15th 2009 12:06PM

You are so completely wrong that it's obvious that you either never played the game or just don't like a good fps. It had an excellent story with unique and challenging game play - not to mention incredible graphics - and yes, it was an action game. Boo-hoo.

Xian @ Jan 15th 2009 12:20PM

I bought that game and absolutely loved it. The choice for an FPS was odd, but the feel of everything was near perfect (what was with the skanky outfits on the Red and Black Ajah members?). It was received quite well critically, and I think remains one of the more underrated games of the era. If you didn't mess your pants going through Shadar Logoth or freak out at the slightest whisper of noise during the Ways, then something was wrong with you.

Trinian @ Jan 15th 2009 12:59PM

Perhaps you guys can help me... I was absolutely enamored with the game not just for its setting but because of the gameplay mechanic where mastering an active defense was almost as important as using offensive weapons. Are there any other (good) games that have this kind of gameplay? I haven't seen its like since, but maybe someone else has a good recommendation.

Courtney @ Jan 16th 2009 2:47AM

While I respected some of the things done in the WoT game, notably the defense elements, I still freaking hated that game (and yes, I spent a fair amount of time with it to arrive at that opinion).

The game felt like an empty shell compared to the WoT world. Though my opinion of the books has also lowered over time, I still don't think the first game did that world justice, even if it did some interesting, and even good, things.

lokar82 @ Jan 15th 2009 11:32AM

Shag hit the nail on the head, I can't believe how much that series went downhill. Does anyone remember the Wheel of Time game released in the late '90s, it was a shooter on PC and it was actually pretty good.

Mike @ Jan 15th 2009 12:07PM

Gee no, what game are you talking about?

chispito @ Jan 15th 2009 1:32PM

Chill. He posted his comment a whole three minutes after yours. I'm sure it wasn't even on the page while he was composing his.

Ben @ Jan 15th 2009 12:12PM

What is wrong with you all! The books are very good I really like them.
Looking forward to all games and movies that come as a result of them...well maybe not the games - we all know what happens when new developers turn movies into games...

HippoHero @ Jan 15th 2009 6:06PM

I liked the first three. Then I found out it wasn't a trilogy. I plot-summaried my way up to eight, read nine, and threw ten against the wall after finding out that, yes, Jordan could actually make the plot go backwards.

Ben @ Jan 15th 2009 6:25PM

Yeah but you won't have enjoyed it and appreciated it if you chapter summarised them all. You will have missed the humour, character development and the little things that make the series so good.
I personally think you are letting the fact it isn't a trilogy get in the way of your enjoyment.

Trinian @ Jan 15th 2009 12:12PM

Would this be the same Red Eagle that Jordan had cross words about right before his death (http://www.dragonmount.com/RobertJordan/?p=88) or is that old news now? Doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Then again I didn't have much confidence in Legend's game... until I played it.

Russell Dady @ Jan 15th 2009 3:54PM

Potentially an MMO set in this universe could literally be the biggest thing since WoW. The world, the magic system, even the elements of the plot are rife with MMO and expansion possibilities. Imagine making your character, then at a certain point having them become a Hero of the Horn and be able to reincarnate them in a different era with an expansion? It could be amazing. Will it be?

aj @ Jan 16th 2009 5:20AM

I want a Grand Theft Auto style game where you play as an Asha'man and just go around blowing up people, throwing mountains at cities, and general mayhem.

BadassSailor @ Jan 15th 2009 4:03PM

I really got tired of him having to spend about 15 pages per book describing the scrollwork on the sleeves of a tunic some character I hated was wearing.

I would have liked to have seen an actual end to it though.

Blah @ Jan 15th 2009 5:41PM

They have another guy writing book based off jordans notes and tapes. Pretty good writer too, he is in touch with his fans and you can tell he is really dedicated to it.

Brazell @ Jan 15th 2009 6:04PM

I make fun of these books whenever I see them at the book store. Sorry, but the covers, titles, and descriptions just look so lame. I'm sure that some well written, enjoyable series is behind them, but they just look so cliche'd.

HippoHero @ Jan 15th 2009 6:08PM

You're right about everything except for the "well-written and enjoyable" part

Brazell @ Jan 15th 2009 6:13PM

I pretty much figured as much, but some people get *really* defensive over crappy books, and I didn't want to upset the horde at this time of night.

biosxenikos @ Jan 15th 2009 11:12PM

The comments about how people didn't like it past the 3rd book astound me. The series doesn't start getting good until book 4-6 when it hits its stride! Sure, parts of 9 (and most of 10) are slow, but 11 is an incredible return to form. The only character who is unpleasant to read is Faile; the rest all have their virtues.

I like my fantasy epic and well written, and nothing else I've ever read comes near to the WoT in both of those areas. Sadly I do not believe that any video game will ever do this world justice...and the best WoT video game shall forever be the WoTMud.

SG Luke @ Jan 16th 2009 9:08AM

Red Eagle is a horrible company. They put out a WoT comic book series a few years ago, but you had to pay in advance for it. After a few issues, they stopped sending them citing rising costs. However, they were not sending refunds for the issues they weren't sending. Finally Jordan himself stepped in and got the situation rectified, but unfortunately he is no longer with us to set such things right (although I would imagine Harriet is a force to be reckoned with).

Menneset @ Jan 19th 2009 8:38PM

I am constantly amazed at the people who describe the Wheel of Time series as poorly written. I found it to be one of the most fascinating books I have ever read; the only book in the same league as Lord of the Rings. I read books 1 through 11 and was hardly able to put them down, and I have read the series another time and a half since. I love the detail and character development Mr. Jordan puts forth. I have also read and enjoyed "Elantris" written by Brandon Sanderson--the author chosen to finish the final book.