The online role-playing game Ashes of Creation will not be further developed. According to consistent reports, work on the project has been discontinued and the entire studio team has been laid off. This brings an abrupt end to one of the most ambitious crowdfunding projects in the gaming industry, just days after public assurances that the project was still “worth the investment.”
The MMO was long considered an exceptional title in the crowdfunding environment. In 2017, it raised around $3.3 million, making it the most successful MMO project on Kickstarter.
Information from the community and social networks
The first signs of escalation appeared on January 31 on the game’s official Discord server. Reports of layoffs and resignations within the studio were circulating there. Shortly thereafter, community manager Margaret Krohn confirmed her dismissal on LinkedIn. In a response, she wrote that the “heart and soul of the product” was no longer there after the development team had been completely dismissed.
There was no official statement from the studio at first. Instead, founder and former creative director Steven Sharif spoke up himself.
Resignation of the founder and role of the board of directors
Sharif publicly stated that he no longer had control over the company. In his view, decisions made by the board of directors had crossed ethical boundaries. He therefore decided to resign rather than support these measures. After his resignation, a large part of the management team also left.
The board then sent out WARN notices and decided on mass layoffs. He said he could not provide further details due to ongoing legal and internal processes. However, he emphasized that developers and employees had acted in good faith and deserved better treatment.
Contradictory signals shortly before the end
On January 29, an open letter to the community was published on the official website. In it, the team acknowledged existing problems such as bots, cheating, bugs, and performance issues. At the same time, a development livestream was announced for mid-February, in which the next steps were to be explained.
The tone of the letter was optimistic.
The project was described as growing, and the long-term vision as unchanged. In retrospect, the letter seems like a document from a phase in which the team still assumed that the project would continue.
Long-term development and growing criticism
Ashes of Creation had been in a difficult phase for years. After the Kickstarter success, nine years passed without a release. Closed alpha tests for supporters ran for five years. During this time, dissatisfaction grew in parts of the community. Among other things, critics pointed to a lack of clear direction, incompatible game systems, and the large gap between announcements and playable reality. Even during the crowdfunding phase, there were doubts about the feasibility of the ambitious promises.
The collapse of the project is one of a series of failed large-scale projects that combined high ambitions, long development times, and tensions between creative vision and economic interests. Ashes of Creation was built up over a decade and now ends without a finished release.FAQ
What is Ashes of Creation?A planned MMO that was crowdfunded in 2017.
How much money was raised via Kickstarter?Around $3.3 million.
Who developed the game?The project was created by Intrepid Studios.
Why was development discontinued?Internal conflicts, management resignations, and a decision by the board of directors led to mass layoffs.
Did the founder leave the studio?Yes, Steven Sharif resigned in protest against decisions made by the board of directors.
Were there any development plans shortly before this?Yes, a few days before the layoffs, another development livestream was publicly announced.
Was the game ever released?No, it was in closed alpha testing for years.
Which platform made the project known?The crowdfunding ran on Kickstarter.
A planned MMO that was crowdfunded in 2017.
Around $3.3 million.
The project was created by Intrepid Studios.
Internal conflicts, management resignations, and a decision by the board of directors led to mass layoffs.
Yes, Steven Sharif resigned in protest against decisions made by the board of directors.
Yes, a few days before the layoffs, another development livestream was publicly announced.
No, it was in closed alpha testing for years.
The crowdfunding ran on Kickstarter.
