One of the newest fantasy MMORPGs on Steam, Ashes of Creation, could be headed toward an early shutdown based on recent reports. In late January, Ashes of Creation developer Intrepid Studios announced it was preparing for a round of mass layoffs just over a month after the game's early access launch on Steam, and some key figures announced their departures from the studio.
Having been in development since 2017 as a Kickstarter-funded project, Ashes of Creation is an open-world sandbox MMORPG set in the scarred world of Verra. During the game's development, Intrepid Studios stated in 2021 that Ashes of Creation would switch over to Unreal Engine 5 as the game's main engine. After rounds of alpha testing in the ensuing years, Ashes of Creation launched on Steam as an early-access title in December 2025. However, due to server login issues and some missing rewards, player reception to Ashes of Creation has been lukewarm at best. The game currently holds a 47% mixed rating on Steam as of this writing, with over 6,000 player reviews.
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Ashes of Creation Developer Loses Key Staff
Despite Ashes of Creation's early access launch drawing in thousands of Steam players, the game may not have much life left in it. On January 31, former Intrepid Studios creative director and co-founder Steven Sharif announced his resignation on the Ashes of Creation Discord server. Sharif said that he resigned "in protest" as he stated that Intrepid Studios' Board of Directors was taking some course of action that he could not agree to, and claimed that control of the fledgling studio was shifting away from him. Sharif stated that the board would send out WARN Act notices and conduct mass layoffs. Due to the legal nature of Intrepid Studios' situation, Sharif said he could not comment further on the matter.
Short for the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, the WARN Act is a US federal labor law that requires most employers with 100 or more employees to notify them of closures and layoffs. The WARN Act also states that companies must provide at least 60 business days of advance notice before a mass layoff, with some exceptions. State and local variants of the WARN Act may also be carried out. Given that Intrepid Studios is based in California, the company could be subject to the state's WARN Act, as well.
Other members of Intrepid's senior leadership team, including communications director Margaret Krohn, announced their departures on social media. On Twitter, Krohn asked Ashes of Creation players to be kind to all affected developers, and said that she would "hold onto the good" that happened during her time with Intrepid Studios. Despite the potential studio layoffs, the vast open world of Ashes of Creation remains playable at the time of this writing.
Ashes of Creation Could Go The Way of other MMORPGs
Should the potential layoffs at Intrepid Studios go through, the California-based game developer could join a growing list of companies that have conducted similar measures. In October 2025, Amazon conducted company-wide layoffs across various sectors, with Amazon Games bearing the brunt of the company's mass cuts. Due to the layoffs and the decreased staff count, Amazon Games stated in January 2026 that its MMORPG project, New World: Aeternum, would be shut down on January 31, 2027. The game has since been delisted on all storefronts, though users who bought New World: Aeternum beforehand can still play it until the servers are closed forever.
Although the MMORPG genre is still anchored by fan-favorite titles like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14, the fate of Ashes of Creation is uncertain at best. Whether Ashes of Creation survives the potential layoffs or joins other MMORPGs that have been shut down early in their lifespan remains to be seen.
- Released
- December 11, 2025
- Developer(s)
- Intrepid Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Intrepid Studios
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Number of Players
- Single-player
WHERE TO PLAY
Ashes of Creation is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) set in a high-fantasy world where player actions shape the world itself. Cities rise and fall, populations shift, and entire regions transform as players rebuild civilization on living, reactive continents. Every decision, individual or collective, leaves a lasting mark on the world of Verra.
Whether you’re leading armies into battle, building empires through trade and craftsmanship, or uncovering ancient secrets long buried beneath the sands, Ashes of Creation offers an evolving journey defined by the choices of its players.
