Steam Offers Refunds for Ashes of Creation Following Leadership Changes and Layoffs

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The future of the Kickstarter-funded MMO Ashes of Creation appears uncertain, and if you’re one of the many who purchased the game on Steam and feel dissatisfied, you might have a chance at securing a refund.

To provide some background, Ashes of Creation had the most successful Kickstarter campaign for an MMO, launching in 2017 and raising nearly $3.3 million. The game entered Steam Early Access in December, but shortly after, its success began to unravel with the sudden resignation of key leadership and widespread layoffs.

Steven Sharif, founder of Intrepid Studios and director of Ashes of Creation, was the first to resign, citing his departure as a protest against the Board’s control over the studio and their unethical demands. Following his exit, “much of the senior leadership team resigned,” and Intrepid began notifying remaining staff about upcoming layoffs, according to Sharif.

Intrepid has announced a developer update stream to address the situation, but players are understandably worried. Former communications manager Margaret Krohn shared her departure on LinkedIn, expressing uncertainty about the game’s future now that the core development team has been laid off.

For these reasons, many players are seeking refunds. While Kickstarter backers and those who bought directly from Intrepid may face challenges, Steam users have reported some success stories, even when they don’t meet the platform’s standard refund criteria. One user managed to secure a refund by submitting a help request and selecting the ‘I have a question about this purchase’ option instead of the refund request. This approach may help you connect with a support representative if you’re past the refund window or have exceeded the playtime limit.

Numerous Reddit threads detail successful refund experiences for Ashes of Creation, even from players with significant hours logged. Here are a few examples, including language you can use in your own help request if you decide to pursue this route.

Steam’s official policy typically denies refunds for games played over two hours or owned for more than two weeks, but exceptions can occur in cases like Ashes of Creation. While there’s no guarantee your request will be approved, it’s certainly worth trying with the information provided as a guide.

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