Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning “Flopped”, Experts Have Told Rhode Island Governor

It’s becoming a nightmare for the founders and employees of 38 Studios. Just as Joystiq reports the firm’s employees haven’t been paid since May 1st, we’re learning that experts have been giving Rhode Island’s governor not-too-good advice concerning the game, telling him the EA-published game RPG “flopped”, and that it was “not successful”.

That’s according to NBC 10′s Brian Crandall, who shared the news via two tweets after an EDC meeting with 38 Studios founder Curt Schilling. Crandall said Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee relayed the advice he’d received from experts and analysts, and they weren’t friendly towards Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning at all.

“Gov: kingdom os amular was not successful,” Crandall said in one tweet. “Gov: one expert told him 38 studios 1st game was a “flop”, he said in another.

38 Studios’ financial hardship was amplified last week when the government of Rhode Island admitted the firm was struggling, putting the tentative agreement between the developer and the state at risk. The company missed a $1 million loan repayment, and despite layoffs and payroll stalls, bounced a check.

If 38 Studios fail, Rhode Island will own Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, an IP analysts believe is worth $20 million. The IP was first developed by Big Huge Games, which 38 Studios acquired, and was a joint effort by ken Rolston, R.A. Salvatore, and Todd McFarlane.

New Screenshots Of Project Copernicus Leaked

In the midst of the disheartening news, three new screenshots of 38 Studios’ Project Copernicus have found themselves on gaming’s web, an effort we suspect is last-ditch to drum up support for the struggling developer.

Screens are here.

Sales Numbers

Last we heard, Reckoning had sold over 400,000 units in the U.S. since its release in early February, a decent showing for a brand new IP, especially considering that Europe wasn’t even in the equation. Earlier this year, studio founder Curt Schilling said he was “nervous” about the game’s launch.

“Well, I’m nervous. This is my first opening day in a new job. Five-plus years is a lot. The challenging part is that I’m kind of powerless, we’re kind of powerless now. The game is going to be in players’ hands on Tuesday, and everything we could possibly do to make it the best we could do, we’re done with. Now it’s just the anticipation,” he told VentureBeat.

Now we know why.