Ashes of Creation Developers Reveal Shocking Studio Closure After $3.2 Million Kickstarter: “We Won’t Get Our Final Paychecks”
On January 29, the team behind the highly anticipated fantasy MMO was gearing up to share exciting updates about their recently launched game. Just days later, however, the situation took a dramatic turn as the game faced a wave of negative reviews, was pulled from the digital storefront, and saw a mass layoff of its developers, as revealed by the studio’s communications director.
“I waited until today to share this because I wanted to ensure I was communicating from a place of clarity,” the head of marketing expressed on social media. “The shutdown of our studio was unexpected. On January 28, I learned that we would be laying off 100 developers. It was heartbreaking – these are dedicated individuals who were about to lose their jobs. Yet, I believed we could navigate this challenge together and find a way forward.”
That day came just before an unsigned letter was set to be sent to players, promising a roadmap update for the game on February 13. However, according to the marketing head, the layoffs were already in motion. She received confirmation of the layoffs by the end of January 29, and the remaining staff began brainstorming ways to move forward the next day. By January 31, it became evident that no one was safe.
“On January 31, we received a confusing email informing us of our layoffs, along with a WARN notice,” she wrote. “It was shocking. The entire studio gathered to comprehend what had transpired and what it meant for our future. Ultimately, none of us will receive our final paychecks, the 60 days of notice and pay mandated by the WARN Act, PTO payouts, or any other owed compensation.”
On the same day, the game’s director announced on Discord that he was stepping down in protest, stating, “I can only make a limited statement in my personal capacity, not on behalf of the company, regarding the situation. Control of the company shifted away from me, and the Board began directing actions that I could not ethically agree with or carry out. Therefore, I chose to resign in protest rather than lend my name or authority to decisions I could not ethically support.”
This was the first public acknowledgment of the turmoil within the studio, and it quickly spread across gaming platforms. The game, which had entered Early Access in December and was funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign, faced a barrage of negative reviews warning potential players to steer clear, as backers demanded refunds due to the game not reaching a proper launch. It has since been completely removed from sale.
“What matters most to me now are the people – both the players and developers,” the marketing head stated. “To the players: the entire development team was working tirelessly, and we genuinely wished we could deliver the game you deserve. We are deeply sorry that this journey ended this way. You should pursue a refund; you deserve it. To my colleagues: this team is truly a family. The culture we built together is something I have never experienced elsewhere. In the midst of heartbreak and uncertainty, we have come together to review resumes, help with portfolios, share job leads, and support one another emotionally.”
Currently, it remains uncertain who is in control of the studio or what the future holds for the game, which now seems to face an uphill battle for revival. Questions linger about the funding for the game’s development, how the studio’s finances collapsed so suddenly, and what recourse the developers have to recover their losses. Attempts to reach out to the studio have gone unanswered, and the director has opted not to comment further without legal counsel’s approval.
When contacted, the marketing head reiterated, “I made my statement. I can’t really talk more than that; I might have even said too much as is, but people need to know what happened.”
