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.
Options
Request for Steam Account Linking for Existing Testers
SneeK-
Member, Alpha Two
With the announcement that Ashes of Creation is coming to Steam, I wanted to bring up a feature request for Steam account linking for current Alpha/Beta testers.
According to the FAQ, existing Intrepid account holders can continue using the standalone launcher, or add AoC as a non-Steam game. However, to actually access the native Steam version with all its features (news updates, community hub, achievement tracking, playtime stats, etc.), we would need to purchase the game again on Steam.
Many of us prefer having our games in Steam not just for organization, but for the integrated features that enhance the experience:
Guild Wars 2 successfully solved this exact problem when they launched on Steam by allowing existing ArenaNet account holders to:
The only caveat is that purchases must still be made through ArenaNet's store (not Steam) to credit the original account - which makes sense and protects both the player and the company.
Recent Example: Escape from Tarkov just launched on Steam last week (November 15, 2025) and implemented full account linking, allowing existing Battlestate Games account holders to connect their accounts and maintain all their progress while gaining Steam integration.
The Ask:
I understand this might not be possible for the December 11th launch. However, I'd love to see the implementing of a similar solution in the future. This would:
Since the game already requires an Intrepid account regardless of platform, and Steam/standalone clients are already cross-compatible, a launch parameter or account linking system seems technically feasible. The Steam version could simply authenticate against existing Intrepid accounts, similar to how many MMOs handle launcher integration.
I know I'm not alone in wanting to support AoC while also having it properly integrated into my Steam library. Would love to hear thoughts from the community and devs about whether this might be possible..
According to the FAQ, existing Intrepid account holders can continue using the standalone launcher, or add AoC as a non-Steam game. However, to actually access the native Steam version with all its features (news updates, community hub, achievement tracking, playtime stats, etc.), we would need to purchase the game again on Steam.
Many of us prefer having our games in Steam not just for organization, but for the integrated features that enhance the experience:
- Automatic news and update notifications
- Community features and discussions
- Native screenshot/video capture
- Playtime and stats tracking
- Steam Workshop potential
- Controller configuration support
Guild Wars 2 successfully solved this exact problem when they launched on Steam by allowing existing ArenaNet account holders to:
- Download the game through Steam (which installs the launcher)
- Add -provider Portal to the Steam launch options
- Log in with their existing account credentials
- Enjoy full Steam integration while keeping all their progress
The only caveat is that purchases must still be made through ArenaNet's store (not Steam) to credit the original account - which makes sense and protects both the player and the company.
Recent Example: Escape from Tarkov just launched on Steam last week (November 15, 2025) and implemented full account linking, allowing existing Battlestate Games account holders to connect their accounts and maintain all their progress while gaining Steam integration.
The Ask:
I understand this might not be possible for the December 11th launch. However, I'd love to see the implementing of a similar solution in the future. This would:
- Reward existing supporters who backed the game early
- Provide better visibility for game updates and news
- Avoid fragmenting where players access the game
- Not impact revenue (purchases could still be restricted to Intrepid's store for linked accounts)
Since the game already requires an Intrepid account regardless of platform, and Steam/standalone clients are already cross-compatible, a launch parameter or account linking system seems technically feasible. The Steam version could simply authenticate against existing Intrepid accounts, similar to how many MMOs handle launcher integration.
I know I'm not alone in wanting to support AoC while also having it properly integrated into my Steam library. Would love to hear thoughts from the community and devs about whether this might be possible..
8
Comments
I'm with you on that post. Pax, ESo and so on lets you link Steam with their account. Why Intrepid couldn't ? It's... particular!
So I will be able to use my regular Intrepid account with embers, cosmetics etc on Steam, or it's just linking for new Steam users ? I fear the second part will be a thing.
We shall see within 1 or 2 weeks, Steven said.
Fair dos. I have my paid-for Sub-Time, Embers, and Cosmetics on this account though, so it's not an option for me.
Same for me. I have 11 months and 19k Embers