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With Ashes of Creation Alpha Two now in full swing, we’re finally getting a much more substantial look at the long-anticipated, ambitious new MMORPG. With the ongoing tests already scheduled to last into the middle of 2025, there’s still a long road ahead. It’s been really fun to see how it’s coming along however, and this weekend has been kicked off in style with the game’s creative director and Intrepid Studios founder Steven Sharif appearing in-game as a godlike figure to fight his own community in a large-scale PvP showdown.
Ashes of Creation Alpha Two finally kicked off last weekend, and now that players have got their bearings and started to figure out the intricacies of the MMORPG, it looks like the developers are having some fun. During a livestream from the most-watched Ashes of Creation Twitch streamer, Jason Thor Hall – known on the site as ‘PirateSoftware’ – it came to light that the game’s creator was fighting a large group of players on his server, essentially acting as a high-level PvP raid boss encounter.
During the stream, Hall, a former Blizzard developer who now runs indie studio Pirate Software, is alerted to the presence of Sharif’s character ‘GMSteven’ and travels across the map to join the fray. Surrounded by dozens of players, Sharif’s level 50 character sprints around at speed, flinging deadly bursts of ball lightning and obliterating players in moments as they gradually whittle down his impressive health bar. You can see the fight in the video below, beginning approximately two hours 40 minutes after the stream begins.
Because of the chaos he’s causing, GMSteven is affected by the Ashes of Creation player corruption system that dampens the effect of a character’s skills as they kill increasing numbers of other players. It also means they’ll drop gear on death, making him a particularly juicy target. Eventually, after a very lengthy struggle, GMSteven goes down. But that’s just the start of the shenanigans.
“Though my flame may have been extinguished in this moment, do not rejoice too soon, creatures of shadow and darkness,” Sharif writes in the game’s public chat, “for I am Verra, the dawnfire, and my essence is bound to the cycle of creation itself.” Verra is the name of the world in Ashes of Creation, and the message is clear – he’ll be back. Indeed, it doesn’t take long before he reappears, teleporting in front of Hall’s character but a few minutes later (this happens around the three-hour mark in the stream).
Speaking in character, GMSteven demands an explanation for this act. “So you have chosen to stand against me,” he writes, “to pit your strength against the flame that birthed worlds.” Faced with essentially an in-game god, Hall decides to adopt a deferential tone, and explains that he and his fellow adventurers were attempting to heal GMSteven during the fight before he struck one of their party down in the chaos. Seemingly swayed, Sharif invites Hall’s character to follow him to a nearby chamber.
There, he commands Hall to “Speak, mortal, and let your heart’s deepest desires be known before your creator. Stand unafraid, for I am the flame that kindles dreams and the wellspring from which all life flows. If your wish is worthy, aligned with the essence of creation, you shall receive a gift from the eternal flame itself. Let your voice carry truth, and the fire shall answer.”
After some careful determination, Hall, who also runs a ferret sanctuary, decides that the best course of action is to ask for ferrets to be added to the game. “Very well, mortal,” Sharif responds, “allow me a moment in the river of time to consider your request.” While he says this decision will take time, he offers a gift in the meantime, spawning a selection of ducklings around the room and giving Hall a mount.
Gods, of course, can be fickle, and so shortly after a bolt of lightning strikes Hall’s character, killing him and his new mount and leaving it unable to be summoned for ten minutes. Sharif then brings Hall back to the room, where the ducklings have multiplied into the dozens – if not hundreds – and tasks him to find the one “that can grant your deepest wish.”
After much pondering, Hall comes to the conclusion that the ‘duckling’ in question must be GMSteven himself. Unfortunately, this appears to be the wrong solution, and he is answered in turn with another fatal bolt of lightning. Hall ponders, “Am I the duckling? I’m definitely cooked.” In one final act of mysterious meddling, GMSteven appears for one final time, cleansing the experience curse gained upon death from Hall’s character and his party members before flying away for good.
Seeing members of the development team engage with their community in such a unique way is a lot of fun, and a great way to drum up some interest in the ongoing alpha test. FF14’s Naoki Yoshida has previously admitted that he likes to play on an account unknown to the community, and that he keeps it such a secret that he isn’t even able to join his guildmates for potential meetups. This might be a more brazen approach than that, but it’s certainly an entertaining one.
Ashes of Creation Alpha Two phase one is currently ongoing, with the second phase set to begin on Friday December 20. Keys to join begin at $100, and don’t include access to the full game once it ships – but if you’re interested, you can learn more via the official website.
There are even more new MMOs you can get involved with in the meantime – or perhaps try one of the best multiplayer games on PC right now instead.
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