曾備受期待的MMORPG《創物塵晶》(Ashes of Creation)及其開發商Intrepid Studios，近日陷入全面崩潰的危機。
自2026年2月2日起，《創物塵晶》已無法通過Steam平台購買，新玩家無法再獲取這款尚處「搶先體驗」階段的作品。更引人注目的是，在SteamDB的頁面資訊中，該遊戲已被標記為「遊戲已取消」。儘管現有玩家暫時仍可登錄伺服器，但外界普遍認為這一狀態不會持續太久。
危機的開端是多名Intrepid Studios員工在LinkedIn上發布求職貼。其中，前通訊總監瑪格麗特·克羅恩證實：「所有人都被解僱了。這太糟糕了。」隨後，公司創始人兼《創物塵晶》創意總監史蒂芬·謝里夫在遊戲社區上發布聲明，稱公司的控制權已從他手中轉移，董事會採取了其「在道德上無法同意或執行」的行動，因此他選擇辭職抗議。其離職引發了核心領導團隊的集體出走，董事會隨後決定依據《WARN法案》啟動大規模裁員。
I waited until today to share this because I wanted to be sure I was communicating from a place of clarity. Intrepid Studios has shut down in a way that I did not expect. What I can share is what I experienced. On January 28, toward the end of the workday, I was informed that we would be laying off 100 developers. I was devastated - these are hardworking people who were going to lose their jobs. Still, I believed it was something we could face together and find a path forward from. On January 29, I shared this information confidentially with my Game Services team. I told them that changes were coming, that I did not yet know who would be affected, and that I wished I had more certainty to offer. I could not live with myself if I did not give them advance notice - these are people who deserve to be treated like human beings. By the end of that day, I received confirmation of which people on my team would be impacted. On January 30, I spoke individually with each of my team members to let them know whether they were affected, so they could begin planning and preparing. Those who were staying began working on ways to move forward. Even those who knew they would be leaving offered their support - showing the grace, professionalism, and strength that defined our Game Services team. On January 31, we were all informed via a confusing email that we would be laid off, along with a WARN notice. It is still shocking. The entire studio gathered to try to understand what had happened and what it meant for our future. In the end, none of us are receiving our final paychecks, the 60 days notice and pay outlined under the WARN Act, PTO payouts, or other compensation owed. What matters most to me now are the people - both the players and developers. To the players: the entire development team was working extremely hard, pulling long hours, and wishes with all our hearts that we could give you Ashes of Creation. There are no words that fully express how sorry we are that this journey ended this way. You should pursue a refund, you deserve it. To my colleagues: this team is truly a family. The culture we built together is something I have never experienced anywhere else. In the midst of heartbreak and uncertainty, we have come together to review resumes, help with portfolios, share job leads, and support one another emotionally. That says everything about who we are as people. For hiring managers and recruiters: we will be hosting a job fair for former Intrepid Studios employees. These are extraordinary professionals who would be amazing assets to any team. If you are interested in participating, we would be deeply grateful if you would fill out the participation form, so that we can coordinate with you. https://forms.gle/eUeeKffGizBrMBB48 I wish I had better news. I wish our story had ended differently. Margaret
內部溝通記錄顯示，本次裁員為「全部且永久性的工廠關閉」，且原定於2月1日發放的薪資將因公司財務狀況無法支付，這意味著被裁員工將無法獲得最後的薪酬，可能引發後續法律訴訟。
在經歷近十年開發後，遊戲於一個月前以「搶先體驗」狀態登陸Steam。據估算。如今項目突然停擺，大量玩家在社區中表達憤怒，質疑其為「拉高出貨騙局」，並討論發起集體訴訟尋求退款。
值得關注的是，有玩家發現該項目在Kickstarter上的眾籌條款曾寫明：「如果遊戲未在Steam上發布，將向所有支持者全額退款。」而遊戲事實上已登陸Steam，該退款條款因此失效，這引發了社區的進一步質疑。
目前，關於公司控制權變更的具體原因、資金去向以及項目的最終命運，仍有大量未解之謎。《創物塵晶》的未來，正被前所未有的不確定性所籠罩。
