Do we actually have a WoW killer on our hands!?
 

Hello, my fellow Aliens! As some of you may know, I am a big MMORPG gamer with World of Warcraft being my #1 game of choice – been playing since Vanilla, can I get a poggers in the lair!? If you are like me then you may have been on the fence of paying the $120 USD to get access to the first wave of Intrepid Studio’s Alpha II for Ashes of Creation that just happened! No need to worry though, there are a couple more Alpha II waves coming up in December and May of 2025 – with a slight decrease in price! Now, we can get into it about the price point, the value of what you get, etc. etc. – I am of the mindset that if you don’t like it, don’t buy it and keep breathing your air, but that is a whole other article and conversation! 
 

Way more importantly, we need to take a look at the gameplay and its core game philosophies we have seen so far during this Alpha wave and start to form conclusions if we truly have a WoW-killer on our hands! There’s a ton to look at in this analysis, so I won’t be able to touch all of the points, but that is what the comments are for – share your own thoughts down below on anything missed or thoughts and opinions you have on the game! 

For this journey together, we’re going to look at a key gameplay philosophy, that not a lot of MMORPGs have in their arsenal, which is, what I like to call, “Toon Risk”!  

So... We know that Ashes of Creation is gathering some strong hype in the MMORPG community, and largely for this approach to creating a world where player actions and risks carry genuine weight. Ashes breaks from genre conventions by embracing a "failure matters" philosophy, where loss and setbacks are designed to impact gameplay meaningfully. This approach is drawing in players who are eager for a high-stakes experience, especially those who feel mainstream MMORPGs have grown too forgiving – shoutout to my Hardcore WoW players!
 

Imagine (with no fast travel unless you have a Scientific Node) you have to traverse the soon-to-be extremely large map with your party and your caravan of goods, say after defeating a dungeon or a world boss of sorts. The innate risk that another rival Guild could be around any corner to jump your group and take your rewards is riveting! And then on top of that, your own “Toon Risk” that comes with dying, where you can drop your items in your inventory and take a hit to stats (more on that below), doubles that risk of traversing the open world with goods! As some of you may know, Game Director, Steven Sharif, has shared that a lot of inspiration for the design of Ashes is thanks to the classic Lineage II from NCSoft where world PvP was paramount and worked entirely different from games like World of Warcraft with flagged PvP combat and instanced PvP zones aka opt-in PvP.  

As mentioned, players can lose resources, see their stats penalized upon death, or experience delays in respawning—all elements that emphasize preparation, strategy, and caution. This design goes beyond adding difficulty; it creates a world where risk-reward dynamics are woven into every action, especially in PvP-heavy areas where the stakes are highest. Each loss isn’t just a temporary inconvenience but a real setback that players must plan around, heightening the importance of every decision. 
 

And going even further, the game’s “Node” system elevates this risk-reward structure by tying player actions directly to the development of in-game regions. Nodes evolve based on player interactions, and they can be attacked or destroyed by rival players, meaning the efforts to develop a Node are never entirely safe. Defending a Node requires coordination and investment from players, creating a sense of ownership and responsibility within the community. Progress in Ashes of Creation feels earned because it’s always at risk, making every victory and expansion a true achievement that players feel personally invested in. 

So, for players who miss that intensity and stakes of older MMOs, Ashes of Creation might be worth trying out and see if it fits your fancy. This high-risk, high-reward philosophy isn’t for everyone, but it’s resonating strongly with a subset of gamers who are ready for a deeper level of immersion and meaningful engagement. As the Alpha 2 is played and the game itself is refined from player feedback, I am very interested to see how Ashes develops and gives us a fresh MMO experience that rewards dedication, teamwork, and careful planning—qualities that define the most memorable experiences in MMORPGs. 

What’s your take? If you have played, I would love to hear your thoughts on the game aside from visuals because it’s only an alpha, people! Do you all think Ashes has what it takes to bring World of Warcraft down? The biggest point I think has an argument is - time. Does this type of mechanic punish a majority of gamers that don't have time to spend to rebound after every setback? Let me know!