It’s already the end for Ashes of Creation, an MMORPG launched on December 11 in early access on PC. Steven Sharif, founder of Intrepid Studios, explained the situation in a message posted on Discord.
He stated that he had lost control of the company and had been forced to resign. The other employees who also resigned were then laid off by the new management. It is now highly likely that Ashes of Creation will disappear, as there are no developers left working on the game. Another internal message states that all areas of the studio are affected and that it will be closed permanently. February salaries will not be paid.
“I can only make a statement on my own behalf and not on behalf of the company regarding the situation.
Control of the company slipped from my grasp, and the board of directors began making decisions that I could neither approve nor implement for ethical reasons. Consequently, I chose to resign in protest rather than associate my name or authority with decisions that I could not morally support.
Following my resignation, a large part of the management team also resigned. After these departures, the board of directors decided to issue collective layoff notices under the WARN Act and proceed with a collective layoff.
I cannot, at this time, provide further details due to ongoing legal and governance issues. However, I can say that the promoters and staff acted in good faith and deserved better than the uncertainty they now face. I am deeply dismayed by this situation.”
Some users are discussing the possibility of filing a class action lawsuit to obtain a refund.
