38 Studios just released the first gameplay trailer for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, a single-player action RPG that sets the stage for an upcoming MMO that is part of the same universe. Check it out after the jump!

Reckoning is being developed by the dream team of Curt Schilling, a three-time World Series champion and the founder and owner of 38 Studios; Todd McFarlane, a comic book artist who is the creator of Spawn and owner of a successful toy company; R.A. Salvatore, a best-selling author who is best known for his Forgotten Realms novels; and Ken Rolston, a renowned designer who played a big part in The Elder Scrolls series of games.

We recently had the chance to visit Big Huge Games' studio to get a closer look at Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. Check out our impressions of a live Reckoning demo and the details from a panel consisting of Schilling, McFarlane, Salvatore and Rolston.

38 Studios, makers of the upcoming action RPG Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, is auctioning off a T-Shirt signed by Curt Schilling, Todd McFarlane, and RA Salvatore to benefit Japan disaster relief.

The shirt is currently up on Ebay and 100% of the final sale price will support Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund - a GlobalGiving Project.

For more details on the game check out our exclusive coverage from our visit to Big Huge Games' studio.

Curt Schilling, Todd McFarlane, R. A. Salvatore, Ken Rolston

With a dream team consisting of three-time World Series champion Curt Schilling, Spawn creator and artistic visionary Todd McFarlane, best-selling author R. A. Salvatore, and the talented and experienced game designer Ken Rolston, it's hard to imagine a game that wouldn't be epic. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is an upcoming single-player action RPG coming from 38 Studios and is the first game set in the Amalur universe. More content will be coming from the new property, including an MMO codenamed Copernicus.

Schilling is a man who is not used to losing. The team is all in to create a setting that will be strong, consistent and fun as hell. Schilling says, "We're going out with a new IP. No one's ever heard of us before, but everyone knows these guys. So we've got a preexisting audience that will check into Reckoning at some point. That's all I can ask. I want you to look at the game. If you don't stick around and play, that's on us. That's a gamble and that's a risk I'm willing to take."

I recently visited Big Huge Games' Maryland studio and attended a panel with this impressive team. Read on to see how Schilling took his idea and reached out to some of the leading visionaries in their fields to bring Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning to life. Also, be sure to check out our first look at the game's demo.

Last month, members of the ZAM team were given an opportunity to visit Big Huge Games' Maryland studio to get a first look at Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. There are a few reasons why this single-player action RPG is glowing brightly on our radar. First and foremost, it's being made by a dream team: Curt Schilling, a three-time World Series champion and the founder and owner of 38 Studios; Todd McFarlane, a comic book artist who happens to be the creator of Spawn and owner of a successful toy company; R.A. Salvatore, a best-selling author who is best known for his Forgotten Realms novels; and Ken Rolston, a renowned designer who played a big part in The Elder Scrolls series of games.

And if that's not enough reason to keep an eye on the game, it's also our first glimpse into the original fantasy universe that will act as the setting for an upcoming MMO, as well comic books, novels, toys and additional games.

During our time at Big Huge Games, we listened to the team talk about the massive project and toured the studio to get a behind-the-scenes look at the game. We kicked things off by watching a live demo of the RPG, so keep reading after the jump for our first look at Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.