Ashes of Creation hits Steam Dec 11 — huge update, full wipe… and one big caveat

Why this actually matters for MMO players

Ashes of Creation is finally opening the gates wider: Alpha Two lands on Steam on December 11, 2025 alongside the v0.18 Harbinger Update. That means more players, a full wipe, and the long-awaited Summoner archetype-plus fishing, a new playable race, and big economy changes. The catch? This is still alpha, not the full release, and Intrepid’s calling it Early Access as a way to expand testing. As someone who’s followed the monthly dev streams and the node system promise for years, this move feels like the real-world stress test Ashes needed-just don’t mistake it for launch day.

Key Takeaways

• Dec 11 brings Ashes of Creation to Steam with v0.18, a full Alpha Two wipe, and cross-play for Steam and existing accounts.
• Summoner finally joins the roster (on PTR now), sport fishing arrives, and the Renai race expands character creation.
• $49.99 Early Access Bundle opens the doors; previous Alpha/Beta purchasers get in without rebuying as Third Wave bundles retire.
• This is still alpha: expect bugs, balance swings, and further wipes as Ashes moves toward Beta One and beyond.

Breaking down the December drop

The v0.18 Harbinger Update is the biggest content push Ashes has had in a while. The headliner is Summoner-a cornerstone archetype that’s been conspicuously absent during testing. Intrepid’s deep-dive (and the PTR build) points to a flexible, pet-driven class that can lean DPS or support depending on your secondary. That’s huge for group comp in node sieges and caravans, but it also raises the classic MMO question: can pet AI keep up in large-scale fights without melting servers or trivializing mechanics? We’ll find out fast when thousands hit Steam.

Beyond Summoner, we’re getting sport fishing (finally, something for the gatherers to flex with), new economy features to feed the player-driven market, and world bosses to push endgame PvE. The Renai race joins character creation, which is nice for variety—especially if you’ve been waiting to reroll when cosmetic vibes match your build.

There’s also a full wipe on Dec 11. That’s standard for major test milestones, but it’s worth repeating: everything you’ve banked gets reset. In return, both existing realms—Lotharia (EU) and Shol (US)—come back online, and Intrepid says they’ll spin up more if the Steam surge demands it. Before we get there, PTR windows are stacked through late November and early December, with a Community Event kicking off Dec 1 that introduces corruption creeping across the world, special mounts, and vendors with endgame goods. Oh, and if you love breaking things for good causes, Intrepid’s literally rewarding first-to-report dupes and exploits during the PTR. Smart move for a game that lives and dies by its economy.

Early Access, not launch — manage your expectations

Intrepid is labeling this “Early Access,” but mechanically it’s still Alpha Two. Think 24/7 servers with short maintenance windows, a ton of systems in motion, and features arriving throughout the phase rather than all at once. If you’ve played any MMO during true alpha, you know the drill: rubberbanding on patch days, balance whiplash, and the occasional “why is this boar one-shotting me” bug. That’s the point—you’re helping shape it.

Access-wise, it’s straightforward. The $49.99 Early Access Bundle will be sold on Steam and via Intrepid’s shop. If you already bought Alpha One/Two or Beta access, you’re in without paying again, and the Third Wave bundle is being retired to simplify things. Steam players and existing Intrepid launcher users will share the same servers, which is the right call; splitting populations in a node-driven MMO would be a disaster.

One more practical note: Unreal Engine 5.3 looks gorgeous but it’s hungry. If you’re on mid-tier hardware, expect to tweak settings at launch. I’d love to be wrong, but the first weekend will likely be a mix of great war stories and queue-time memes.

Why this move makes sense now

Ashes has been living in open development for years, and the tech lift in Alpha Two—new network layer, dynamic server meshing, UE5.3—needed a bigger population to prove it out. Taking the game to Steam invites harsher scrutiny (Steam reviews do not hold back), but it also gives Intrepid the data and feedback they can’t get from a smaller cohort. Calling this “Early Access” is candid: it signals that we’re still in the building phase, but the doors are wide open.

The studio also dropped an official TikTok channel, which sounds minor, but it’s a clear sign they’re widening the funnel beyond long-form dev streams. If you want to grow an MMO in 2025, you have to meet players where they scroll. Meanwhile, the roadmap stays ambitious: Alpha Two continues at least into 2026, then Beta One, Beta Two, and—critically—Alpha Two morphs into an NDA’d Test Realm that lives on even after launch to trial content before it hits live. That’s how you avoid catastrophic economy patches and broken metas.

As for the design north star: the node system still sets Ashes apart. If v0.18’s economy updates and world bosses slot neatly into that political sandbox, we might finally see the game’s identity sharpen beyond “promising tech demo.” If it wobbles—say, Summoner pets desync in sieges or a dupe nukes markets—the Steam debut will expose it instantly.

What I’ll be watching on day one

• Summoner AI and group utility during large-scale PvP and world boss encounters.
• Node progression speed with a bigger population—does the world feel reactive or static?
• Economy resilience: can crafted goods, caravans, and markets survive exploit hunting?
• Server stability across Lotharia/Shol and any new realms when Steam floods in.

TL;DR

Ashes of Creation hits Steam on Dec 11 with a massive alpha update, a full wipe, and the long-awaited Summoner. It’s a big confidence play from Intrepid—but it’s still alpha. If you’re buying in, go in as a tester first, a fan second, and keep your expectations set to “work in progress.”