In a recent Twitter post, Intrepid Studios have announced the Ashes of Creations' verbal NDA has been lifted in regards to the current alpha tests. The reports are mixed and start valuable discussions in the AoC and MMO communities.
Ashes of Creation is an MMORPG title currently being developed by Intrepid Studios. The development process of the game began, through Kickstarter, but Intrepid studios have assuaged all doubts that pop up regarding crowdfunding projects such as this one via acquiring complete game funds from the Intrepid Studios' founders.
The fact that Intrepid Studios is an independent developing and publishing company, as well as their business model being non-box come together to paint a bright picture for this MMORPG. One of a game, fans have been dreaming of, in a sea of MMOs made for microtransactions or just plain crowdfund scams.
On May 17, 2021, Intrepid Studios have lifted their verbal NDA and allowed their alpha testers to start discussions on the game's progress.
According to reports made by alpha testers, the game is working fine and the User Interface is functional. The combat of the game, says one alpha tester on Reddit, looks promising as well. What does not look promising however is the game's progression. On a game whose main hook is its node system, and sandpark theme, that does put a kink in the works, and the working parts are, fans would say, basic enough to just be expected at this point.
Intrepid Studios
While some fans remain hopeful, some are bitter, condemning the game for being in development for far too long and fearing the company's push to buy cosmetic packs as signs of money issues, which does hold some merit as Intrepid Studios have started developing the game over five years ago.
Most fans, on the other hand, fear that Ashes of Creations' prime release time may pass by the time the game is out. Instead, the hunger for a good MMO may be satiated by New World and the MMO Riot Games are working on by the time Ashes of Creation is ready for its complete release.
The debate started by this development does raise some valid points and questions. Are MMO developers and fans living in the past? Is the current gaming climate too far evolved from traditional grinding MMOs, and should the focus be moved to PvP as is with most of today's most popular games? Has the time finally come for new MMOs to stop being evaluated based on their comparison to older titles, and is it time for new developers to be in the limelight?
