In the recent Ashes of Creation July Development Update video, Intrepid Studios shared a quick glance at some of the many accomplishments the team had over the last few months, and also a preview of some of their primary goals as they approach Phase Three and beyond.
Ashes of Creation: Recent Accomplishments
The overall development of Ashes of Creation throughout Phase Two has been nonstop, and we wouldn’t be able to fit all of these accomplishments within one post. Instead, we’ll highlight some of the major accomplishments thus far, including the following:
- Dynamic Gridding: Over the last month or so, the team has been testing dynamic gridding on the PTR and have seen a lot of success. They plan on continuing the testing until they are fully happy with the overall performance, where it will then be implemented on the live servers. Dynamic gridding is a server technology that allows for the flexible splitting and merging of game server workers (or “grids”) within a specific realm to adjust player density. In other words, it means the server can be divided into smaller, more manageable units, which can be dynamically adjusted based on their size and amount of player activity within the area.
- Unreal Engine 5.6: The team recently shifted the game over to Unreal Engine 5.6, which is now live on the PTR. Players should now see the results themselves, with enhanced performance, stability, less GPU crashes, and an overall better gameplay experience. If you’re interested in seeing a side-by-side comparison, you can log into the existing live servers (which is on 5.3) and comparing it to the PTR (which is on 5.6).
- Node Progression: Over the last several months, Intrepid Studios has been able to capture a great deal of data around node progression. This includes the choices players make when developing nodes, how they interact with the node, how they progress the nodes, what quests they’re choosing within each node, and much, much more.
- Time-to-Kill (TTK): The overall TTK (in a PvP standpoint) has jumped around quite a bit over the last several months, but the time has finally landed on what they believe is a great balance at the moment. The overall TTK is in a great spot for the launch of Phase Three. This will be an area the team continues to look at as the player level cap eventually expands past level 25.
- Guild System: Guild storage is officially added into the game (within the PTR), and the overall system is getting a complete revamp, ensuring that the overall guild leveling system isn’t as brutal as it has been previously, and that the overall benefits via unique skills adds a unique twist to the game, making it even more beneficial to join up with friends and play Ashes of Creation in a truly social manner.
Ever since the PTR has become playable by the general player base, it seems like the number of updates and changes implemented within the PTR are constantly growing, and you can truly experience the development of the game if you participate in this testing. For the last month or so, the PTR has had major game-changing systems implemented on a weekly basis, exciting the player base even further with what’s coming in Phase Three.
Ashes of Creation: Focus Areas
This July development update kick-off with the team setting some expectations and making it clear that they will not be adding any additional scope when it comes to the launch of Phase Three. Yes, there was a delay for Phase Three, but that additional time is going to be used to ensure that all the intended Phase Three features are ready for launch, and to ensure they clean up any existing bugs they see thus far.
No additional new features will be added with the launch of Phase Three – they are focused on meeting their schedule as close as possible and prioritizing what’s important to support the launch of Phase Three and then moving on to the next top priority.
These primary areas the team is currently focused on include:
- The Anvils: An all-new starter zone that will be available with the launch of Phase Three (on August 26, 2025). This is a huge zone, and will allow players with a new, unique starting experience (and choice) when it comes to your first steps into Verra. There will likely be adjustments to the Anvils throughout Phase Three, but the goal is to ensure that the first-time user experience is as clean as possible for launch (with a strong, clear narrative for new players).
- Economy & Stat Rebalance: Over the last several months, the team has made a tremendous amount of changes to the overall economy and overall stats. The team is continuing to focus on ensuring that the overall economy is in a balanced scope to ensure that Phase Three runs with a stable economy as much as possible. Additionally, there will be some more stat rebalancing done to ensure each archetype in Ashes of Creation is not only balanced, but also unique and enjoyable in their own way.
- T4 Nodes: Phase Three will include a new tier of nodes for testers – towns (T4). These towns will visually enhance nodes as you know them today, and also have a few surprises for you to experience when you take a closer look within them.
There are still many, many other features and additions that need to be made to Ashes of Creation, and they’re coming – just not in time for the launch of Phase Three. Some of these most sought-after features coming to the game includes the launch of the Summoner archetype, secondary archetypes, node destruction, and more.
For a full recap on this month’s update, watch the official video below.
How to Start Playing Ashes of Creation
If you’re interested in playing Ashes of Creation, then create an account here and visit the “shop” section of the Ashes of Creation website to purchase your key. Upon purchase, you will receive access to play the rest of Alpha Two, along with a key for Beta One and Beta Two. Additionally, you’ll have access to start playing on the PTR for additional testing.
Additionally, you will receive one month of gameplay for Ashes of Creation upon launch, and $15 worth of embers (in-game marketplace credits). We hope to see you soon in Verra!
