The former head of Intrepid Studios, the company that created the online game Ashes of Creation, is accused of spending money raised from the game’s $3.2 million Kickstarter campaign on personal items, including collectible cards and private chef services.
Just 52 days after its initial release, the developers of the online game Ashes of Creation, Intrepid Studios, shut down the project. Despite selling around 300,000 copies for $50 each and raising over $3.2 million through a 2017 Kickstarter campaign, the game was taken offline.
The game’s unexpected failure led early players to accuse its creators of a “rug pull” – abandoning the project and taking the money. This has resulted in a complicated legal dispute involving the former CEO, Steven Sharif, and the company’s board.
YouTuber NefasQS recently investigated the controversy (originally reported by Kotaku) and claims to have found Intrepid Studios’ financial records from 2015 to 2026. These records reportedly show expenses for things like private chefs and collectible trading cards.
Ashes of Creation devs reportedly spend Kickstarter funds on personal expenses
In a video called “Your money paid for a mansion,” NefasQS stated that the report reveals the company was nearly bankrupt several times, suggesting a precarious financial history.
Reportedly, the former CEO, Sharif, and his husband misused studio funds to cover their personal expenses. This included paying for a private chef, spending over $41,000 on online auctions, and making tens of thousands of dollars in purchases at trading card and miniature hobby stores.
Additionally, a payment of $81,166 was made to Gore Oil Company, which reportedly owned the property where the couple lived in San Diego.
Shortly after the YouTuber posted their video and shared it on social media, they began receiving private complaints and reports on their Reddit account.
Sharif is yet to address the reports publicly, as legal disputes continue to play out.
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2026-04-13 08:48