Newly-Released MMO Ashes of Creation Left in Tatters as Senior Team Quits and Management Issues Layoff Warning — and Now Steam Is Reportedly Investigating

The future of the newly released Ashes of Creation is in doubt after its leadership team quit following a dispute with the management board — and now Steam is reportedly investigating.

Ashes of Creation — funded by a hugely successful $3.2 million Kickstarter campaign back in 2017 — is described as “an old-school take on the modern MMORPG set in a living, reactive world where your choices shape civilization.” After significant interest and excitement from MMO fans, Ashes of Creation finally released in December, albeit as a $50 Early Access game on Steam. By the end of January, however, the game’s director Steven Sharif had quit “in protest,” reportedly along with most of the game’s senior development team at Intrepid Studios, after claiming that the management board had asked him to do things he “could not ethically support.” According to Sharif, the Board then issued WARN Act notices — layoff warnings, in other words — to the remaining staff. It’s unclear how many employees remain.

Though Sharif did not specify the alleged heinous requests, he shared a brief update with fans on Discord, stating that it was only “a limited statement in [his] personal capacity and not on behalf of the company.”

“Control of the company shifted away from me, and the Board began directing actions that I could not ethically agree with or carry out,” Sharif wrote (thanks, PCGN). “As a result, I chose to resign in protest rather than lend my name or authority to decisions I could not ethically support. Following my resignation, much of the senior leadership resigned. Following those departures, the Board made the decision to issue WARN Act notices and proceed with a mass layoff.

“I cannot responsibly speak to further details at this time due to ongoing legal and governance matters. What I can say is that the developers and staff acted in good faith and deserved better than the uncertainty that they are now facing. I am incredibly dismayed at the situation.”

Over the weekend, director of communications Margaret Krohn confirmed that they too had left the company, writing on LinkedIn: “Well… this chapter has come to a close. My time at Intrepid Studios has officially ended.

“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”.

Asked for confirmation that the game was still in development at Intrepid Studios, Krohn wrote: “I don’t work there anymore, so I can’t answer that for you. Personally, I don’t know how they would make it when the heart and soul of the product, the amazing dev team, was all laid off.”

Now, according to redditor LawdAizen, Steam is “investigating the issue” after they contacted Valve’s storefront and requested a refund. In response, a Steam representative said: “Sorry to hear about this issue and I understand your concern. We are aware of the issue and are currently investigating this further. As soon as we have more information, we will update your ticket.”

For what it’s worth, The Ashes of Creation “team” did post to its official site late last week, detailing a small list of issues that are on its To Do list. If the game’s Steam review page is anything to go by, however, I’m not sure it’s right that the “concerns [it] hears most clearly” are merely about bugs and QoL. Though a Development Update livestream is planned for February 13, dozens of fresh negative reviews already blight the game’s ‘Mixed’ Steam score, with comments like “scam rugpull of a game,” “Ashes is officially cancelled,” and “the game was a cash grab” have brought it down to ‘Mostly Negative.’

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.