A significant number of management and development staff at Intrepid Studios have departed the company in the wake of its troubled MMO launch. Reports based on social media posts from this past weekend indicate that employees working on the Kickstarter-funded game Ashes of Creation have either resigned or been laid off.
Reports of Widespread Departures
The exits were first reported through posts on professional networking and social media platforms over the weekend. While Intrepid Studios has not released an official statement confirming the scale or nature of the departures, multiple sources suggest the changes affect both leadership positions and development team members. The studio is known for developing Ashes of Creation, a massively multiplayer online game that achieved record-breaking funding on Kickstarter.
The reported staff reductions follow the challenging launch period for Ashes of Creation. The game’s release was met with mixed reviews from players and critics, who cited technical issues, performance problems, and unmet expectations regarding promised features. Such post-launch periods are often critical for studios, requiring substantial resources for updates, patches, and community management.
Background on the Project and Studio
Intrepid Studios, based in San Diego, California, began development on Ashes of Creation several years ago. The project gained notable attention in 2017 when its Kickstarter campaign raised over $3.2 million, making it one of the most successfully crowdfunded MMOs on the platform. The game promised a dynamic, player-driven world with evolving nodes and a complex economy, ambitions that generated considerable hype within the MMO community.
The studio later expanded its funding through private investment rounds. The game officially launched its first major playable version, often referred to as its alpha or early access phase, to backers and the public in recent months. This launch window is reportedly when player sentiment began to highlight significant gaps between the game’s promotional material and its delivered state.
Potential Impact on Development
The loss of key management and development personnel typically poses risks to a live service game’s ongoing development roadmap. For Ashes of Creation, which operates on a seasonal content model and requires constant updates, maintaining development velocity is essential. Industry analysts note that such staff turnover can lead to delays in planned content, slower response times for bug fixes, and potential shifts in the game’s creative direction.
Furthermore, the situation may affect community trust. Backers who supported the project through its crowdfunding phase often have a strong personal investment in the game’s success. News of internal turmoil at the studio can lead to increased player concern about the project’s long-term viability and the fulfillment of its original vision.
Industry Context and Reactions
The video game industry has seen a wave of layoffs and restructuring throughout 2024, affecting studios of all sizes. These moves are frequently attributed to post-pandemic course corrections, rising development costs, and increased pressure to meet financial targets after a major title’s release. Intrepid Studios’ situation appears to fit a pattern where studios scale down after the intensive launch period of a flagship product.
The gaming community and industry observers are now monitoring Intrepid Studios’ official channels for confirmation and details. The standard protocol in such situations involves the company issuing a statement to clarify the operational changes and reassure stakeholders about the project’s future. No such communication has been made public at this time.
Looking Ahead
The immediate next steps are expected to involve an official response from Intrepid Studios addressing the staff changes. The studio will likely need to outline a revised development plan for Ashes of Creation, detailing how it intends to support the game with a potentially smaller team. The focus will be on stabilizing the current live service, addressing critical player feedback, and proceeding with its published content calendar, though timelines may be adjusted. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining the project’s ability to recover from its rocky launch and retain its player base.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz
