The Divine Gates Open: Ashes of Creation Hits Steam in Two Weeks (But Read This Before You Buy)

If you follow the MMORPG genre, you have undoubtedly heard the whispered promise of Ashes of Creation for years. It is arguably the most ambitious, hyped, and closely watched MMO currently in development.

For a long time, playing it required expensive Kickstarter backing or pre-order packages, accessible only to the most dedicated fans.

But in just about two weeks, that changes forever.

Intrepid Studios has dropped a massive announcement: Ashes of Creation is officially moving to Steam Early Access on December 11, 2025.

This is a monumental step for the project. It opens the “Divine Gates” to the massive general gaming audience on Steam. But before you rush to grab your wallet, it is crucial to understand exactly what is launching in two weeks.

Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming Ashes of Creation release.

The Nuts and Bolts: What’s Happening on December 11th?

On Thursday, December 11th, Ashes of Creation will become purchasable directly through Steam.

This coincides with a major content patch—the v0.18 “Harbinger Update”—which introduces a new raid boss and brings the main US and EU server realms back online.

• The Price of Entry: The standard price for Early Access will be $49.99 USD. (Note: Intrepid has indicated a launch discount dropping it to around $42.49 until Christmas).
• What You Get: Your purchase isn’t just for right now. This bundle grants you access to the current Alpha Two, access to future Beta phases (Beta 1 and Beta 2), and includes one month of game subscription time for when the full, finished game eventually launches.

The Massive Reality Check: THIS IS AN ALPHA

If you take only one thing away from this blog post, let it be this:

The December 11th release is NOT the full, finished game.

“Early Access” on Steam has become a confusing term. Many games launch in Early Access practically finished, just needing a few months of polish. This is not that.

This is Alpha Two. It is a true development test environment.

If you buy in on December 11th expecting a polished, seamless, bug-free experience like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV, you are going to have a bad time. You should expect:

• Game-breaking bugs.
• Systems that are unfinished or placeholder.
• Server instability and crashes as they test new infrastructure.
• Unoptimized performance.

Intrepid Studios is making a bold move by putting a true Alpha on Steam. They need massive numbers of players to stress-test their servers and break things so they can fix them. If you buy in, you are paying to be a tester.

The Great Wipe

To ensure everyone starts on an even playing field for this major milestone, Intrepid is hitting the reset button.

Right before the December 11th launch, there will be a FULL SERVER WIPE. All progress made by previous Alpha testers up to this point will be erased. When the Steam servers open, every single player—from the oldest Kickstarter backer to the newest Steam purchaser—will be starting fresh at level one on the shores of Verra.

Why This is a Big Deal

Despite the warnings about it being an Alpha, this is a thrilling moment for the MMO community.

1. The NDA is Gone There is no Non-Disclosure Agreement. This means starting December 11th, Twitch and YouTube will be flooded with Ashes of Creation gameplay. If you’re on the fence, you will finally be able to watch your favorite streamers play the game uncensored and get a real feel for its potential.

2. The Ultimate Stress Test Moving from a niche community of backers to the front page of Steam is a massive gamble. It will test Intrepid’s server architecture (their unique server meshing technology) like never before. How the servers hold up under the weight of tens of thousands of new players will tell us a lot about the game’s future viability.

Are You Diving In?

Ashes of Creation is promising a dynamic world where player actions genuinely build up and tear down cities. It’s a dream many MMO players are desperate to see realized.

In two weeks, we get to step into that dream—warts and all.

Will you be spending the $50 to be a pioneer in the Alpha testing phase on December 11th? Or will you be watching on Twitch, waiting for a more polished Beta down the road? Let us know in the comments below!