Robert Jordan
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Amazon releases first 'Wheel of Time' trailer ahead of its November 19th debut
Amazon has shared the first trailer for Wheel of Time ahead of the show's November 19th debut.
EA signs on to distribute the Wheel of Time MMO
First announced late last year, the Wheel of Time MMO is not only in the works, but Electronic Arts has just confirmed their involvement in the distribution of the game. This includes more than just the MMO though, as Red Eagle Games will be developing a whole line of products which will launch on "all major videogame platforms," including the PC , consoles, wireless devices and handhelds.This deal will allow EA to publish and distribute these games with other third-party developers such as Valve, Harmonix and id. It will also provide "a blockbuster launch on the global stage" for Red Eagle to promote their games, according to EA Partners senior VP and general manager David DeMartini, and will hopefully help in funding the product down the line. Check out the press release in its entirety just after the cut below.
EA to distribute Red Eagle's 'The Wheel of Time' adaptations
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.
Red Eagle Games to develop The Wheel of Time MMO
Red Eagle Games is a relative newcomer to video game publishing, but their first MMO will be based off of a well-established IP -- Robert Jordan's "The Wheel of Time" series of novels, which are a blend of fantasy and eastern mysticism. Although Jordan passed away in 2007, he left behind 11 novels and a deep imaginative legacy that could prove to be a popular setting in the MMO world. Rick Selvage and Larry Mondragon from Red Eagle Entertainment, which has spun off Red Eagle Games, recently spoke with VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi about their plans to bring The Wheel of Time into the realms of film and games. Film tie-ins with The Wheel of Time IP have already been funded, they're still in the process of raising funds for Red Eagle Games, according to Selvage. "That could prove to be difficult, but he said he has already received an enthusiastic reaction, largely because the rights to the series are considered so valuable," Takahashi writes. Funding issues aside, whether or not Red Eagle Games can break free of the stigma connected with games released in tandem with films isn't clear yet. "Selvage said he is aware of the risks and he believes that most games based on movies fail because they are made in too short a time and there isn't enough cooperation with the movie studio," Takahashi adds. Are you familiar with The Wheel of Time series of novels, and do you think the setting and lore would lend itself well to a massively multiplayer online title?
Wheel of Time rolling onto video game scene
With nearly 44 million copies sold, the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series of fantasy novels continues to be one of the world's most bankable franchises, something not lost on Red Eagle Games. The newly founded LA studio announced that it has optioned the rights to release "stand alone" games based on the Wheel of Time to all platforms. A MMO is also planned, leaving us wondering if we should finally begin weaning ourselves off the series' now 15-year old MUD.Red Eagle Games' stake in the series doesn't end there, however, with studio execs Rick Selvage and Larry Mondragon pulling double duty as producers on an upcoming Wheel of Time feature film. Of course, history has taught us that games based on properties, no matter how popular they are, shouldn't be taken at face value. One thing remains certain, however. Even deceased, Robert Jordan continues to swim in the great big money bin in the sky.
How to enjoy grinding and read books at the same time
For a long time now I've been a big fan, not only of WoW, but of audible.com, where they have a great library of audiobooks for sale and download to your portable audio device of choice. Without realizing how or when, I have developed a habit of blending these two loves together for a marvelous effect: grinding plus audiobooks equals a great time.The basic problem with grinding in an MMO, after all, is that it doesn't require your full attention, especially if your goal is straightforward and you've done it before in one way or another. It's relatively easy to just put yourself on autopilot and do the job while your mind does something else. Listening to an audiobook is the perfect companion to this, because it fills up your mind, and leaves your hands and eyeballs itching to do something of their own. Also, I'm a person that has trouble reading with my eyes. I can do it for short periods without any trouble, but with long books, I tend to fall asleep or get distracted very easily. Through Audible, I might have read more books with my ears than I have read with my eyes by now, and although I know some people must have the paper copy of a book in their hands, there's probably a large number of WoW players out there who find themselves not reading as much as they would like, and would love to know that there's another way to get their literary fix.
