New Fantasy MMORPG is Blowing Up on Steam

The long-awaited co-op MMORPG Ashes of Creation launched its early access phase on Steam with a strong concurrent player count, but early reviews are underwhelming. Given its status as one of the most anticipated MMOs on Steam, Ashes of Creation‘s current reception might be disappointing for fans with high expectations.

Ashes of Creation has had an interesting development cycle. It began as an ambitious project aiming to create one of the most in-depth MMORPGs in the industry. A successful Kickstarter campaign followed, gaining support from thousands of fans and raising millions in funding. Developer Intrepid Studios later signed with a major publisher, only to part ways years later and continue Ashes of Creation as an independent project. Now, nearly a decade after its initial announcement, Ashes of Creation‘s early-access version, or the second phase of alpha testing, is finally live. However, it appears to be facing significant issues.

New Steam MMORPG Is Free to Play, But There’s a Catch

An anticipated free-to-play MMORPG is finally available on Steam, but there’s something players might want to think about before jumping in.

Ashes of Creation Had a Strong Start, But Things Might Go South

Ashes of Creation officially entered early access on December 11, drawing an impressive 30,000 concurrent Steam players within the first few hours. However, negative reviews quickly emerged for the $50 game, giving it a Mixed user review score, with over half of early access reviewers unhappy with its current state. The primary issues seem to be technical problems during initial login attempts, along with frequent crashes and server errors.

Some of the Main Reasons Fans Are Unhappy with Ashes of Creation

Server issues
Login problems
Missing rewards
Lack of content

Ashes of Creation requires players to link an Intrepid account to their Steam account to play. At launch, the company’s servers struggled to handle the influx of users trying to create or link accounts, locking many players out during the first hours. Meanwhile, some of those who were able to connect quickly expressed disappointment with the game’s content, with one fan writing, “I am one of the original Kickstarter backers from 2017… Now, almost nine years later, this game is 20% ready?” Adding to the frustration, the developer has reportedly not delivered cosmetic items and mounts purchased during earlier phases of development. As a result, many fans are now warning that Ashes of Creation could join the growing list of MMORPGs that failed to survive.

Ashes of Creation Banner Image_upscayl_2x_ultramix_balanced

The Developer Promised Fixes

Intrepid Studios has acknowledged the negative reviews, assuring fans that fixes are on the way. In a brief Twitter post thanking players who purchased the game, Intrepid Studios emphasized that the development team is working hard to create the best possible game. Despite these reassurances, many fans are concerned about the game’s future, given its long development history. Ashes of Creation was announced in 2016, with development reportedly starting in 2015, meaning it has taken nearly ten years to reach its current state. While the industry is familiar with games requiring lengthy development cycles, some argue that Ashes of Creation‘s current condition does not reflect the decade of effort, raising doubts about its long-term prospects.

While Ashes of Creation‘s current Steam reviews are mixed, there is still a chance for the developer to turn things around. In recent years, several successful games on Steam have faced negative review phases, only to recover through major updates or by addressing key player concerns. For example, Path of Exile 2 dropped to Mostly Negative reviews back in April 2025, but its recent reviews now show an average Very Positive. The same could happen with Ashes of Creation, particularly since it is still in early access and has significant room for improvement before its official global release. What seems certain is that Intrepid Studios remains committed to the game and plans to continue its development. Over the coming months, it will be worth watching to see whether the studio can win back its fan base and recover from the current wave of criticism.