Are we losing faith in Ashes of Creation?

 Ashes of Creation has reached a noteworthy milestone—launching Phase III of its second alpha test. This update expands the world significantly, introduces new playable races, brings in a new archetype, enhances the initial player experience, tweaks guild systems, and advances the node progression system—among other improvements.

 Yet, community sentiment seems divided, and some players are expressing growing frustration.

 I came across a video from content creator Jamie Kaos expressing discouragement with the game's current pace. In the clip, Jamie appears disillusioned—indicating he may no longer have the time or interest to continue investing in Ashes testing. He even hints that his guild, formed around the game, is losing momentum—a tone best described as “disappointment.”

 I’ve navigated these waters before—especially during the “Narc” controversy, where community members took sides. Initially, I leaned toward Narc, but later recognized the nuance and re-centered my perspective. At that time, Narc voiced frustration over delayed updates that didn’t match his expectations.

 Now, Jamie echoes similar concerns, though with a more level head than Narc. He questions whether the development team can deliver the scale and frequency of updates being promised—and whether the team is moving in a direction that aligns with his expectations.

 While Jamie suggests the game might be targeting a younger audience and not the "old guard" I think that’s misguided. The average MMO or PC gamer is getting older; current surveys place that average in the mid-to-late 30s (around 36–38 years old), not younger. So, if anything, Ashes is being built for “us”—the seasoned MMO veterans. Even Steven Sharif (creative director) is in his 40s or 50s and has crafted this game as a passion project. It's the “old guard” who are most likely to carry it forward.

 Another factor at play is content creator fatigue. When updates come slowly or are thin in scope, creators struggle to stay engaged. Jamie—much like Narc—faces the challenge of producing content when testing is grind-heavy and lacks fresh hooks. It’s only natural that he’d compare it to established games like World of Warcraft, which regularly provides new content and consistent deliveries.

 All this brings me back to my own stance post-Narc: the most impactful statement I can make about Ashes is whether I choose to participate in the Alpha. Right now, I haven’t. That speaks louder than any number of words I've put on page here.