Ashes of Creation SHUT DOWN?! Gamers Stunned, What's Next?!

Big news rocking the gaming world today, and it's not the kind anyone wanted to hear. It looks like Intrepid Studios, the folks behind the highly anticipated (and Kickstarter-funded) MMORPG *Ashes of Creation*, has reportedly shut down. The rumor mill has been churning for a while, but now it seems confirmed by numerous sources.

Ashes of Creation SHUT DOWN?! Gamers Stunned, What...

The signs are pretty clear: social media is abuzz with former employees posting about their job searches. One post, from someone in the audio department, explicitly mentioned the "recent closure of Intrepid Studios." Another confirmed they were "affected by the studio wide shut-down." It’s never a good sign when your LinkedIn feed is flooded with former colleagues suddenly looking for work. It's rough out there, and I sincerely hope these talented people land on their feet quickly.

Even more telling, a quick search reveals that even senior figures, like the studio's Director of Communications, are now out of a job. This isn't just a few layoffs; this appears to be a complete shutdown. Imagine pouring your heart and soul into a project like *Ashes of Creation* for years, only to have the rug pulled out from under you like that.

So, what went wrong? Well, according to a report by PCGamesN, Intrepid Studios co-founder Steven Sharif (also the creative director) hinted at some serious internal drama. Apparently, there was a feud brewing between the creative leaders and the board of directors. Sharif even claimed he left the company after the board started making decisions he found ethically questionable. Whoa.

Sharif’s statement, released via Discord, is pretty vague but speaks volumes. He said he couldn't go into specifics due to "ongoing legal and governance matters," but he emphasized that the developers acted in good faith and deserved better. "I am incredibly dismayed by the situation," he said. You can practically feel the frustration and disappointment oozing from those words. This definitely sounds like a messy situation behind the scenes.

*Ashes of Creation*, you might recall, was a massive Kickstarter success back in 2017, raking in over $3.2 million from nearly 20,000 backers. The game is still available for purchase through Steam Early Access as of this writing. This is a particularly hard situation for those who backed the project, and have been waiting for its release. I can only imagine how stressful this news is for them.

Game Developer has reached out to Intrepid for an official comment, but so far, silence. We'll keep you updated as we learn more about this developing story. For now, it's a stark reminder that even the most promising projects can sometimes fall victim to internal struggles and corporate politics. It's a tough industry, no doubt.