The long-anticipated MMORPG Ashes of Creation is facing a sudden and destabilizing reckoning, just 52 days after its Steam Early Access debut.
What was meant to be a milestone moment for the decade-long project has instead turned into a period of upheaval marked by leadership resignations, WARN Act notices, and growing uncertainty about the game’s future.
Signs of trouble surfaced quickly. Multiple staff members, including Director of Communications and Marketing Margaret Krohn, updated their LinkedIn profiles to “open for work,” prompting speculation that something had gone seriously wrong behind the scenes.
Krohn later posted a cryptic but emotional message reflecting on the situation, writing, “As for how this all ended… I don’t really have the words. It wasn’t what I expected. But I’m holding onto the good because there was so much of it.”
Emmanuel Umahi
Then, in a message shared in the game’s official Discord, CEO and Creative Director Steven Sharif confirmed that he had resigned following a breakdown in governance. According to Sharif, "control of the company shifted away from me, and the Board began directing actions I could not ethically agree with. I chose to resign in protest rather than lend my name to decisions I could not support."
Following his resignation, much of the senior leadership team also departed. The board then issued WARN Act notices and moved forward with mass layoffs. Sharif stressed that the developers involved had acted in good faith and deserved better than the situation they were left in.
The collapse of internal stability lands especially hard, given Ashes of Creation’s long and closely watched development history. First announced in 2016 and funded via a 2017 Kickstarter that raised $3.2 million, the game built a reputation around an ambitious, player-driven vision for a Western MMORPG. That ambition also came with long timelines and rising expectations.
Emmanuel Umahi
In December 2025, Intrepid Studios released the game on Steam Early Access while it was still technically in alpha, a move that immediately divided its community. For some, it offered a chance to finally play the game. For others, it felt premature.
The data since launch paints a mixed picture. On Steam, the game currently holds a 51% positive review rating. Peak concurrent players reached about 31,800 before declining, suggesting curiosity but limited retention. Estimated sales range between 220,000 and 320,000 units, translating to roughly $11–16 million in gross revenue before platform fees.
Backers have also revisited long-standing frustrations. During its Kickstarter campaign, Ashes of Creation promised refunds if the game failed to launch. While the Early Access release technically satisfies that condition, some supporters argue that launching in an unfinished state effectively removed any meaningful path to recourse.
Emmanuel Umahi
The situation adds to a growing list of challenges facing Western MMORPGs. High-profile projects like Amazon’s New World and the stalled Lord of the Rings MMO have shown how difficult it is to sustain large-scale online worlds without careful pacing, stable leadership, and long-term funding strategies. Industry veterans have repeatedly pointed to models like Warframe, which grew slowly over time, as a more sustainable path forward.
For now, Ashes of Creation sits in limbo. Legal and governance questions remain unresolved, staff departures have hollowed out leadership, and the studio’s next steps are unclear. Whether Intrepid can stabilize, restructure, or relaunch in a meaningful way is still an open question.
What's clear, though, is that the game’s Early Access debut, meant to signal progress after years of waiting, has instead become a cautionary moment for developers and players alike. It’s a reminder that ambition alone isn't enough, and that when timelines stretch too far, and expectations climb too high, the margin for error becomes dangerously thin.
