Ashes of Creation collapses just weeks after Early Access launch as studio shuts down

by

Ashes of Creation unexpectedly failed on January 31, 2026, when its developer, Intrepid Studios, closed down just two months after the game became available in Early Access on Steam.

The much-anticipated online game, developed over almost ten years with money from both fans and investors, fell apart quickly after a sudden problem with its leadership.

The issue started when Steven Sharif, the founder, CEO, and Creative Director, announced he was leaving his position in a message on the game’s Discord server. Sharif explained he was resigning because he disagreed with the new direction set by the Board of Directors, stating he couldn’t support their decisions on ethical grounds.

$3.2million Kickstarter game fails two weeks after launch

The community reacted with immediate doubt to that explanation. Public records from California, dating back to early 2026, showed only Sharif and his husband were listed as the company’s directors. This led people to question whether the board he mentioned actually existed and sparked accusations that the project was a scam designed to quickly take investors’ money.

After Sharif left, most of the top leaders at Intrepid Studios quickly resigned, including the head of Communications and Marketing, Margaret Krohn. Shortly after, the studio announced it was permanently closing and laid off over 200 employees, fulfilling requirements under the WARN Act.

Internal reports that were recently made public indicated the game studio was in serious financial trouble and couldn’t pay its employees on time. This happened even though their game, Ashes of Creation, sold between 250,000 and 300,000 copies on Steam for $49.99 after it launched into Early Access on December 11, 2025.

The game’s sudden failure has upset many players, especially those who bought it recently. Thousands are now asking Steam for their money back, claiming the developers gave up on the project very soon after it launched, and under unusual conditions.

The recent issues have brought attention back to the game’s 2017 Kickstarter campaign, which successfully raised over $3.2 million. Back then, the developer, Sharif, promised refunds to backers if the game wasn’t released.

Although Ashes of Creation became available in Early Access, many critics believe the studio’s quick failure goes against what Early Access is meant to be.

Intrepid Studios has essentially closed down as of February 1, 2026. While the game servers were temporarily still running after staff reductions, the remaining team is too small to continue development, and most players now anticipate the game, Ashes of Creation, will eventually be shut down.

Read More

2026-02-01 20:19