Ashes of Creation early access release brings censorship claims over negative Steam reviews

Announced in 2016, the wait wasn’t long enough to ensure a smooth Ashes of Creation early access launch. Server issues and gameplay that may need years of refinement are common complaints. Mixed Steam reviews include multiple gamers reporting that their forum posts are being deleted.

When the latest phase of the Intrepid Studios MMORPG began on December 11th, players were immediately met with long queues. Once logged in, many fans found that the experience wasn’t worth the aggravation. Even in early access, critics feel that the game is in too rough a state to warrant a $49.99 price.

An Ashes of Creation review that’s drawing attention accuses Steam forum mods of censorship. Damien Scott notes that just prior to launch, they “deleted every single critical post about the game, many of which were from people that have paid hundreds/thousands of dollars to support the game.” He also describes similar behavior in the title’s official forum, subreddit, and Discord.

Damien Scott's Ashes of Creation review is not unique

Other players, some of whom supported the project since its inception, echo Damien’s story. When searching Google, readers will encounter indexed Steam forum threads that no longer exist. While Valve sets guidelines for its moderators, they are granted great freedom to shape discussions. In this case, they appear to be targeting valid critiques rather than offensive posts or abusive behavior.

Controversy has surrounded Ashes of Creation since its successful Kickstarter campaign in 2017. A referral program issued in-game currency to players who convinced others to support the title. The incentive violated Kickstarter's guidelines, yet it continued. Intrepid founder Steven Sharif has also allegedly promoted pyramid schemes.

As a sandbox MMORPG, some players believe Ashes of Creation is overly ambitious. Instead of just completing quests or raids like in World of Warcraft, players craft worlds, called nomes. Given the complex mechanics, these players characterize the Steam early access launch as premature. One theory is that its creators were running short on cash and could not delay the release date any further.