Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two Phase III testing has begun! During this phase, our realms will be open every day, and we'll only have downtime for updates and maintenance. We'll keep everyone up-to-date about downtimes in Discord.
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two Phase III testing has begun! During this phase, our realms will be open every day, and we'll only have downtime for updates and maintenance. We'll keep everyone up-to-date about downtimes in Discord.
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
AoC Gank Box Issue
Regulus7
Member, Alpha Two
There’s a fundamental flaw in the core design of Ashes of Creation that threatens its long-term viability: the game currently functions as a gank box, where high-level players are incentivized to prey on low-level participants with little to no consequence. This design not only discourages new player acquisition but actively undermines casual player retention.
Most of the PvP encounters in AoC aren’t meaningful battles—they’re one-sided ambushes. Max-level players, often treating the game like a full-time job, roam freely and indiscriminately kill low-level testers whenever the opportunity arises. during node wars casual players log in for a short session and are repeatedly ganked in non-consensual PvP scenarios against opponents they have zero chance of defeating. There is no spin up time for the war and guards do nothing to protect their citizens. Node wars are most fruitful when the side that declares the node war is ready to kill all the low level crafters in each of the two cities the moment the war is declared.
This isn’t an isolated issue tied to one guild or a few bad actors—it’s baked into the current PvP design. There’s no scaling mechanism or level-based protection that discourages power disparity. In fact, the system seems to reward it; you get more loot if you target players who you can kill quickly. Players are incentivized to dominate weaker opponents and obstruct their progression, ensuring they face no future competition. This is what we see play out in ashes on a daily basis.
While friction and player-driven conflict are essential ingredients in a sandbox MMO, AoC’s implementation leans too far into punitive mechanics. Instead of fostering dynamic rivalries or strategic warfare, it creates an environment where casual players serve as fodder until they inevitably quit. For those with jobs, families, and limited playtime, AoC becomes less of a game and more of a chore.
Some may argue that AoC isn’t designed for casual audiences—that only those who commit 40+ hours per week should have influence over game systems. But if that’s the case, AoC risks becoming a niche product with limited appeal, especially as a subscription-based MMO. Without a more inclusive PvP framework, the game may struggle to build and sustain a healthy, diverse player base.
All we expect from AoC is a open world gank box with the way things are now. There are so many clips of the ganking, griefing, and just generally one-sided "PvP" because that is the bulk of the PvP you will find in the game right now. Here are a few:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sQvi7qmp3ZM
https://youtube.com/shorts/sFe09l17Rb4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WupQGMqQtzo
https://youtu.be/S8FSKtwLwx4?t=386
Most of the PvP encounters in AoC aren’t meaningful battles—they’re one-sided ambushes. Max-level players, often treating the game like a full-time job, roam freely and indiscriminately kill low-level testers whenever the opportunity arises. during node wars casual players log in for a short session and are repeatedly ganked in non-consensual PvP scenarios against opponents they have zero chance of defeating. There is no spin up time for the war and guards do nothing to protect their citizens. Node wars are most fruitful when the side that declares the node war is ready to kill all the low level crafters in each of the two cities the moment the war is declared.
This isn’t an isolated issue tied to one guild or a few bad actors—it’s baked into the current PvP design. There’s no scaling mechanism or level-based protection that discourages power disparity. In fact, the system seems to reward it; you get more loot if you target players who you can kill quickly. Players are incentivized to dominate weaker opponents and obstruct their progression, ensuring they face no future competition. This is what we see play out in ashes on a daily basis.
While friction and player-driven conflict are essential ingredients in a sandbox MMO, AoC’s implementation leans too far into punitive mechanics. Instead of fostering dynamic rivalries or strategic warfare, it creates an environment where casual players serve as fodder until they inevitably quit. For those with jobs, families, and limited playtime, AoC becomes less of a game and more of a chore.
Some may argue that AoC isn’t designed for casual audiences—that only those who commit 40+ hours per week should have influence over game systems. But if that’s the case, AoC risks becoming a niche product with limited appeal, especially as a subscription-based MMO. Without a more inclusive PvP framework, the game may struggle to build and sustain a healthy, diverse player base.
All we expect from AoC is a open world gank box with the way things are now. There are so many clips of the ganking, griefing, and just generally one-sided "PvP" because that is the bulk of the PvP you will find in the game right now. Here are a few:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sQvi7qmp3ZM
https://youtube.com/shorts/sFe09l17Rb4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WupQGMqQtzo
https://youtu.be/S8FSKtwLwx4?t=386
0