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It was only a matter of time before the former developers behind the Kickstarter MMORPG came forward. ashes of creation It has been fighting against Intrepid Studios since its sudden and unexpected collapse two weeks ago.
Last week, former technical director Zakary Strange, former VFX artist Noah Ortega, and former gameplay engineer Jacob Burdecki filed a lawsuit against their former employers for alleged labor law violations.
The lawsuit filed by Burdeki and Strange alleges that Intrepid Studios unlawfully fired the plaintiff and 200 other employees without prior written notice and failed to pay them for their last week of work or for accrued paid time off. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers to notify employees at least 60 days prior to mass layoffs.
Ashes of Creation launched early access to mixed results in December after raising $3.2 million through a Kickstarter campaign.
In January, Intrepid Studios laid off 200 employees. Intrepid Studios director Steven Sharif made the first announcement via Discord. At the time, many unemployed people confirmed this news through LinkedIn and social media.
Intrepid Studios has not yet released an official statement. Steam removed the ability to purchase games on the platform and offered refunds to some players.
“Seek your refund. You deserve it.” Former Ashes of Creation Developer Advocate Player Refunds
The highly anticipated MMORPG Ashes of Creation may be coming to an end. Does Steam give refunds?
Former communications director Margaret Krohn is organizing a virtual career fair for those affected by the layoffs. If you are interested, you can fill out this form to connect with a former Intrepid Studios developer.
This probably won't be the last we hear of the unfortunate saga. 'Ashes of Creation' development. It's still unclear whether the MMORPG will continue (which seems unlikely with a severely reduced workforce), or whether early Kickstarter investors will be entitled to refunds after the game's apparent collapse.
