Glorious adventurers, the time has finally arrived! On December 11, 2025 around 10:00 AM Pacific, Ashes of Creation will officially move to Steam with the launch of its Early Access. This marks a monumental milestone for our journey, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome new and returning testers into the world of Verra.
Whether you’re defending the lands from relentless Harbinger threats, navigating treacherous waters in search of rare sea creatures, or commanding powerful spirit companions into battle, our v0.18 Update offers something for every type of adventurer.
Below, you’ll find everything you need to know to jump into Early Access, along with highlights of the new features arriving in this update.
Who Can Join Early Access?
All users who have purchased access to an Alpha or Beta will have access to Early Access on December 11, 2025.
Intrepid accounts that currently have a Kickstarter, Pre-Order, or Wave Bundle package can link their account with their Steam account in advance. For each unique Intrepid Account, you will need a unique Steam Account.
If you have not yet purchased Ashes of Creation, on December 11, 2025 our Early Access Bundle will be available for purchase on our Steam page.
Reminder: This is an active testing phase. Progression, systems, and features are all subject to change as development continues.
How to Join and Realm List
Joining Early Access is simple. Once Early Access releases on Steam, all players with access will be able to jump into the action via Steam with a fresh install. The following realms are planned to go live around 10:00 AM Pacific on December 11, 2025.
- NA - Shol, Resna
- EU - Lotharia, Pelune
- We may release additional realms as needed.
Reminders: All previous progress on Shol and Lotharia has been wiped. You will no longer use the Intrepid Launcher, as that will be deactivated, and you will install fresh via Steam. You can now uninstall the Intrepid Launcher.
What’s Included in the v0.18 Update?
This update delivers several major additions and plenty of polish and improvements across the board. Here’s a look at the headlining features awaiting you in Early Access.
The Harbinger Invasion
The Ancients return, and with them spreads corruption. The Harbinger System is a large-scale open-world encounter that transforms a zone into a lawless, high-intensity battleground. Testers must work together through escalating phases:
- Assault Harbinger Grounds by defeating waves of Ancients and void-touched creatures.
- Fight back against an invasion as a Void Gate unleashes increasingly powerful enemies.
- Defeat one of 3 Ancient Commanders, who are formidable 5-star world bosses.
- Plunder the inner chambers of the Narthexes, delving into corruption itself for a lengthy, high-risk endeavor filled with minibosses, rare loot, and limited-time objectives.
When the event ends, the zone becomes deadly. Anyone still inside the Narthex will need to escape quickly or face a lethal collapse. With powerful crafting components and rare drops inside, the Harbinger system challenges groups, alliances, and entire realms to push into and against the corruption together.
Let the Sport Fishing Begin
Sport Fishing brings a brand-new, high-skill, high-reward activity to the rivers, lakes, and open seas of Verra! With both Freshwater and Saltwater Sport Fishing, you’ll have to spot fishing hot spots, use targeted lures for different fish types and sizes, and master the new action-based “fish combat” system.
Whether you're rowing to the center of a lake to hook a trophy Pike or braving the open ocean to reel in a Marlin from the deck of a Corsair, Sport Fishing is built with depth, progression, and big payoff moments. Grab your fishing rod, chum the waters, become one with the fish, and claim your crate before hauling it to shore for gold or future trophy crafting.
Summon the Summoners
The Summoner Archetype makes its much-anticipated debut! This versatile new archetype allows testers to command powerful vessels that can tank, deal damage, and support their allies. With unique playstyles centered around summoning and managing companions, the Summoner brings an entirely new way to experience Ashes of Creation.
Visit our full Summoner article to dig into mechanics, playstyles, and summon combinations, and let us know what you think about the archetype on our forums!
New Cosmetics
A brand-new cosmetic set has arrived in the Ashes of Creation shop. Once purchased, items can be claimed via your in-game mailbox and equipped immediately. As always, cosmetics offer no gameplay advantage, and you must own a base item with the cosmetic slot to equip it. There is no pay-to-win on Verra.
For the Number-Crunchers and Detail Fans
This article highlights only some of the big-ticket features, but v0.18 is packed with improvements, adjustments, fixes, and fine-tuning across systems large and small.
Read the full work-in-progress v0.18 Update Notes here! (This section will be populated with the final update notes on December 11 when we launch.)
Thank You and Welcome to Steam Early Access!
Joining Steam marks a historic moment for Ashes of Creation. It expands our ability to reach new testers, gather meaningful data, and grow our community as we work toward the future of Verra together.
We are deeply grateful for your feedback, passion, bug reports, and unwavering support throughout this journey. Early Access is just the beginning, and with you at our side, Verra becomes stronger every day.
If you haven’t already, please follow the game on Steam. Don’t forget to invite your friends to join the adventure!
Your tale in Ashes of Creation begins now.
See you in Verra, adventurers.
