38 Studios names, dates first project

Though its massively multiplayer title remains shrouded in mystery, 38 Studios today officially unveiled its upcoming single-player role-playing game. Formerly known as Project Mercury, the title will henceforth be called Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. It will ship in fall 2011 and will be distributed by Electronic Arts under its EA Partners banner for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is being developed by Rise of Nations studio Big Huge Games, which was bought by 38 Studios in 2009. It will be an all-new intellectual property cocreated by comic-book artist Todd McFarlane (Spawn) and fantasy author R.A. Salvatore (The DemonWars Saga). Both men helped Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Curt Schilling found 38 Studios--then called Green Monster Games--in 2006 and respectively serve as art director and "executive creator of worlds" at the Maynard, Massachusetts, studio--which may move to Rhode Island in the not-too-distant future.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will be an open-world fantasy RPG in the vein of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. That is no accident. Its project lead is Ken Rolston, who was lead designer on Bethesda Softworks' acclaimed high-fantasy RPGs The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Oblivion. Several other Bethesda alumni are working on the project, as well as a senior designer from LucasArts' The Force Unleashed. Veterans of Civilization and Civilization II are also on board.

In conjunction with the name and date announcement, 38 Studios has launched an official site for its upcoming project, www.reckoningthegame.com. New details on the game may be announced at EA's studio showcase, the presentation for which will be streamed live on GameSpot later today. More information will be revealed at a special Comic-Con 2010 panel on Thursday, when the first trailer for the game will debut.