Ashes of Creation’s $50 Steam Alpha Is Actually a Discount

According to GameSpot, Ashes of Creation is finally coming to Steam on December 11 after being first announced in 2016. Developer Intrepid Studios will sell alpha access for $50, which they’re calling a discount since it currently costs $100 on their official website. The game raised over $3.2 million through Kickstarter in 2017 and previously offered alpha access for $500 back in 2021. Once fully launched, Ashes of Creation won’t have an upfront box cost but will require a monthly subscription to play. The studio warns that alpha testers will experience “frequent updates and realm wipes, unstable builds, incomplete content, and ongoing balance adjustments.” Intrepid hasn’t announced a specific end date for early access, with the game planned to move through two beta periods before full release.

MMO Market Madness

Here’s the thing about charging for alpha access in 2024: it’s becoming the norm rather than the exception. But $50 for what’s essentially an unfinished product? That’s still a tough sell for most gamers. The fact that Intrepid calls this a “discount” from their usual $100 price tells you everything about modern MMO economics. They’re basically asking players to fund development while getting early access to what might be the next big thing.

And honestly, the timing couldn’t be more interesting. We’ve seen multiple high-profile MMO cancellations this year alone. NetEase axed two MMOs, Amazon killed both New World’s active development and a Lord of the Rings MMO, and Microsoft canceled an unannounced sci-fi MMO from ZeniMax. The MMO graveyard is getting crowded. So why would anyone pay $50 to test another one?

Early Access Economics

The answer might be in what Intrepid is promising. They’re calling this a “sandbox” MMORPG where players can actually shape the world – building cities, engaging in large-scale PvP, and influencing political and economic systems. That’s the dream that games like Star Wars Galaxies promised but few have delivered. If they can pull it off, $50 might seem like a bargain in hindsight.

But let’s be real – we’ve heard these promises before. The $500 alpha packages in 2021 were absolutely wild, but they apparently found enough whales to make it work. Now they’re expanding to the Steam masses with a more “accessible” $50 price point. It’s smart business, really. Get more testers, more data, and more early revenue without scaring away everyone with triple-digit prices.

Testing Versus Playing

What intrigues me most is how Intrepid is framing this. They’re not selling early gameplay – they’re selling testing privileges. Their FAQ explicitly states that early-access participants should approach this “as a testing experience, not a finished product.” That’s refreshingly honest in an industry that often treats early access as a soft launch.

And they’re throwing in some incentives – a cosmetic cloak and one month of game time for when the full game launches. But basically, you’re paying $50 to be a bug hunter. The question is whether enough MMO enthusiasts will see that as valuable rather than exploitative. Given that they raised $3.2 million back in 2017, there’s clearly appetite for what they’re building.

Long Development Arc

Eight years in development is a long time for any game, let alone an MMO. The switch from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5 in 2021 probably set them back, but it might ultimately pay off if they can leverage the newer engine’s capabilities. The fact that they’re finally coming to Steam suggests they’re confident enough in their progress to face broader scrutiny.

I’ll be watching this one closely. The MMO space desperately needs innovation, and if Ashes of Creation can deliver on even half its promises, it could be something special. But $50 for alpha access? That’s still a gamble. Then again, in a year where we’ve seen so many MMOs get canceled, maybe betting on one that’s still fighting is worth the price of admission for hardcore genre fans.