Ashes of Creation Developers Left Unpaid Following Intrepid Studios Layoffs
Teh recent closure of Intrepid Studios, developer of the highly anticipated MMORPG Ashes of Creation, has taken a troubling turn, with laid-off employees reportedly not receiving their final paychecks, owed compensation, or legally mandated notice. The situation has sparked outrage and concern within the gaming community, raising questions about the studioS handling of its collapse and the future of the game itself.
Former Director of Communications Margaret krohn detailed the events leading up to the layoffs in a recent LinkedIn post. According to Krohn, she was informed of impending layoffs affecting approximately 100 employees on January 28th. Demonstrating concern for her team, she proactively alerted her Game Services department, despite lacking specific details about who would be impacted.
On January 30th,Krohn communicated individually with team members,offering support and clarity as much as possible. However, the situation rapidly deteriorated on January 31st when all employees received a layoff notice via email, accompanied by a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice.
Despite the WARN notice – which legally requires employers to provide 60 days’ notice before mass layoffs or plant closings – Krohn alleges that affected employees are not receiving their final paychecks, the 60-day WARN Act pay, accrued Paid Time Off (PTO), or any other compensation owed to them. The US Department of Labor provides information on the WARN Act, outlining employee rights to seek damages for back pay and benefits if proper notice isn’t given.
krohn expressed deep regret to Ashes of Creation players, stating that the entire advancement team worked tirelessly and wished they could deliver the completed game. She advised players to pursue refunds, acknowledging their right to do so.
The possibility of obtaining refunds is complicated by the game’s recent release in Steam Early Access in December. Some speculate that Intrepid Studios rushed the release specifically to circumvent the refund provisions outlined in the original 2017 Kickstarter campaign, which guaranteed refunds if the game never launched.
Further complicating the situation is the departure of Creative Director Steven Sharif shortly before the layoffs, reportedly due to disagreements with Intrepid’s board. The composition of the board remains unclear, with some players questioning whether Sharif is unfairly attributing blame to a non-existent or sparsely populated board.Krohn addressed these claims on Reddit, clarifying her limited knowledge of senior leadership decisions but affirming her positive experience with Sharif, describing him as “kind, generous, and looked out for us.”
Following reports of the layoffs, Ashes of creation was quietly removed from sale on Steam. inquiries have been made to Intrepid Studios for comment regarding Krohn’s allegations concerning unpaid wages and notice periods.
This unfolding situation leaves the future of Ashes of Creation uncertain and raises serious concerns about the treatment of the dedicated developers who poured their efforts into the project.
Keywords:
* Primary Keyword: Ashes of Creation layoffs
* Secondary Keywords: Intrepid Studios, MMORPG, game development, WARN Act, unpaid wages, Steven Sharif, game refunds, Kickstarter, early access, game industry news.
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