Alpha Two Phase III Testing Schedule

Greetings, glorious adventurers!

As we continue pushing forward in the development of Ashes of Creation, we’d like to provide an update on our Alpha Two testing schedule, including details on the extension of Phase II with the merging of Vyra and Lyneth, and the upcoming launch of Phase III. Your feedback, bug reports, and continued participation have been instrumental in helping us shape the world of Verra, and we’re incredibly grateful for your support.

Phase II Extension - Now Through August 4, 2025

We’ve made the decision to extend Alpha Two Phase II through August 4, 2025. This extension allows our team to make meaningful progress on several key initiatives for the launch of Alpha Two Phase III, including:

• Implementing and testing dynamic gridding, which is critical for improving gameplay performance in densely populated areas.
• The introduction of our second starting area in The Anvils, and a revamp of our questing and first time user experience systems.
• Ongoing server worker and realm performance improvements, helping us lay a stronger foundation for scalability.
• Our transition to Unreal Engine 5.5 brings major improvements to tools, performance, and development flexibility.
• Significant economy and stat balancing efforts over the next 3 months, in preparation for a solid Phase III start.
• The introduction of the Py’rai, Ren’Kai and Niküan races with all armor sets along with our last Archetype, the Summoner.

This additional time will result in a smoother, more robust experience as we transition into Phase III.

Alpha Two Phase III - Begins August 4, 2025

Following the conclusion of Phase II, Alpha Two Phase III will begin on August 4, 2025. In this next phase, we will continue testing and iterating on core systems, add new content, and implement performance enhancements as we work toward refining the full Alpha experience.

Testing Access

All users with Alpha Two access will be able to participate in Phase III. This includes:

• Alpha Two Kickstarter, Pre-Order Backers, and Alpha Two First and Second Wave Bundle holders.
• Alpha Two Third Wave Bundle holders, who will now gain Alpha access to the extended Phase II period beginning on May 1, 2025 as well. 

Testing Schedule

• Now through August 4, 2025: Testing will continue on a 5+ day per week schedule.
• Starting August 4, 2025: Testing will move to a 24/7 live schedule, with downtime for maintenance and scheduled updates.
• During the extended Phase II period, we will have intermittent periods of full week testing where our servers are kept live through extended periods. Stay tuned for those updates to the schedule.

We are not currently announcing an end date for Alpha Two, as it is expected to last until the start of Beta, when it will become the new PTR. We’ll share additional details on our long-term goals and timelines as we move closer to that date.

Wipe, Fresh Start, & Merge Notice

A new dawn rises over Verra, and with it - a challenge worthy of legends. As two realms merge into one, the battlefield resets, the nodes lie unclaimed, and the world holds its breath. This is your moment to carve your name into the stone of the final months of Phase II. Bring your hard-earned strength, your forged steel, and your sharpened will - for what lies ahead is a thunderdome of ambition, alliance, and unrelenting conquest. The path to Phase III begins here, and only the bold shall shape the future. Glory is calling.

To support meaningful testing and gather accurate data from our latest updates, we will perform a full wipe of all characters and progression at the start of Phase III on August 4, 2025. This ensures that testing reflects the latest systems, balance changes, and optimizations.

In preparation for Phase III, beginning on May 1, 2025, we will be merging the Lyneth and Vyra realms to test our realm merge system. As part of this process, certain systems - including Nodes,  Mayorships, Freeholds, Vehicles, Cargo and others - will be reset. 

All items on your character, and in your inventory will be retained after the merge. All warehouse items will also be maintained in their respective node locations and players will have access to those items when the nodes reach level 1. In addition, if you have items held within your citizenship warehouse, you may regain access to those items if you become a citizen of that node again. Your character level, experience, skill trees, and weapon/artisanship progression will be preserved, and the realm max character limit will be updated to 10. Character names that are in conflict will be suffixed with -Vyr and -Lyn. 

Additionally, for those who prefer a clean slate, a fresh start Realm will be available on May 1st, offering a completely untouched experience.

We will share additional details regarding the merge process in our Alpha-Two-News channel on Discord.

How You Can Help - Bug Reports & Feedback

Your participation and feedback are a vital part of the development process. Here's how you can contribute:

• Bug Reporting: Use the /bug command in-game to report issues directly. These reports go straight to our QA team for investigation, along with additional information that helps us fix the reported issues.
• Feedback Channels: Share your thoughts in our official Forums, Discord threads, and survey responses. This feedback helps our team evaluate gameplay balance, system clarity, and user experience across a wide range of playstyles.

Thank You!

We want to extend our sincere thanks to every tester who’s joined us so far. Your time, insights, and dedication are helping us shape the world of Verra into something truly special.

Stay tuned to our official social channels and community platforms for ongoing updates. We’re excited for what’s ahead and can’t wait to see you in Phase III!