MMORPGs have long been sprawling odysseys that push the limits of gaming, but the long-gestating Ashes of Creation looks to take this even further.
Ashes of Creation is an ambitious upcoming MMORPG where player choices shape the game world, with quests, monsters, cities and civilisation itself determined by the actions of the community.
The game has been in testing for years and many players are lucky enough to have taken part, but the rest of the world is still eagerly anticipating the release of the full game.
Here’s everything we know so far about Ashes of Creation.
When is the Ashes of Creation release date?
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The Ashes of Creation release date is still unconfirmed, but many gamers have already been playing thanks to the numerous tests that have been done on the various aspects of the game, dating back to late 2017 when the game was in a pre-alpha state.
Ashes of Creation underwent a month-long Alpha One in summer 2021, when select registered players were invited to play a test build of the game. The anticipated MMORPG has since been in periodic spot testing, ahead of a planned Alpha Two when the majority of the game’s systems are expected to be in place.
Alpha Two will be known as a persistent alpha, meaning the servers will continue running until launch.
Even though the spot testing is expected to be short, it looks to still be a while before the game is properly released. We’ll have a better idea of a launch window once Alpha Two is out.
What platforms can I get Ashes of Creation on?
As things currently stand, this is a game for Windows PC only, and while there are no plans for that to change just yet, the developers have said they are open to the possibility of porting the game over to consoles in the future. Being a Microsoft game, look for this to be Xbox only if that does happen.
The developers have also stated that native Linux support may be evaluated in the future.
What is the Ashes of Creation story about?
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As per the official synopsis: “Ashes of Creation is a unique take on the MMO experience. The world structure is dynamic and built to react to the actions of the players. Cities will rise and fall, their populations based on the history of the world as the players create it.”
The description adds: “Quests will unlock as these populations gather, their needs grow, and secrets are unlocked. As the world’s NPC structure is established in real-time, players will have the ability to destroy what they’ve created, paving the way for new development, new populations, and real change.”
And finally, players have been told that “Political strife and intrigue will play a very real role in the structure of the world. Gone are the days of static worlds, change is here to stay.” Sounds like an interesting experiment to us!
Ashes of Creation gameplay
With MMORPG games, or massively multiplayer online role-playing games if you want the full term, growing more popular than ever, Ashes of Creation is looking to its peers as it creates its world, incorporating some of the best elements from other games and combining them all into one package.
An enticing prospect for fans of the genre, Ashes of Creation will open up more and give players new things to do the further they go into the game and the more they collect XP. A node system will be in place to help with progression and the map will get larger and larger the more you play. An ever-expanding game, expect to lose many hours playing this one.
Like most MMORPGS, Ashes of Creation will be a PvX game with a balance of both PvP (player versus player) and PvE (player versus environment) gameplay. The two types of gameplay will be interlinked with each other, sharing gear types and progression.
While the game is still in alpha testing, there are still several early gameplay videos on the Ashes of Creation YouTube channel, including the one that you can see above.
Can I pre-order Ashes of Creation?
You can’t pre-order Ashes of Creation yet, but you can register your interest to be one of the Ashes of Creation testers for the next wave of testing. That’s your best chance of being able to play it soon!
Is there a trailer for Ashes of Creation?
There have been several trailers for Ashes of Creation since 2017, with one of the more recent showcasing the game in Alpha One form.
As well as trailers, the developers have been rather consistent with video updates focusing on specific parts of the game, including a look at these desert biomes which will appear in Alpha Two.
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