If you want to get an impression of the combat system of the MMORPG Ashes of Creation, you have the chance to do so in August. The PvP standalone Apocalypse returns for a test and also on Steam.
When is the test scheduled? Ashes of Creation Apocalypse returns on August 20 for a 12-hour play session. It starts at 8:00 PM our time and ends at 8:00 AM the next morning.
Every player who creates an account on the official website can play Apocalypse during this time. The account and the download are completely free.
However, the developers directly point out that there may be restarts and downtime during the test.
What is new in this test? To play Apocalypse, you need a completely new client. You should be able to download it starting from Monday, August 19 at 11:00 PM our time.
To improve performance, there will be servers in Europe and Singapore for the Pacific region available this time alongside the American servers.
Additionally, the game is now being released on Steam. You should also be able to download the client from Monday, but will still need an account with Intrepid, the developer of Ashes of Creation.
Apocalypse is controversial among players
What is the problem with Apocalypse? The Battle Royale has been a sensitive topic within the Ashes of Creation community since the beginning. Concerns arose that suddenly the path of Fortnite would be followed and the PvE MMORPG would be neglected.
The first public test of Apocalypse ran extremely chaotically. The game primarily had performance issues and was quickly taken offline. There was also criticism for introducing a Battle Pass for real money.
Afterwards, regular tests were supposed to take place and a release of the game was planned for February 2019. However, since January there has been no opportunity to play Apocalypse.
Are players excited about Apocalypse anyway? The news about the release on Steam has received a mixed reaction.
The user derekgr claims to have jumped back on the hype train and SalutationsGaming is also looking forward to the return of the Battle Royale.
The user VmanGman21, on the other hand, is particularly concerned about potential Steam reviews that could be used for shitstorms:
My main reason for concern is that outsiders generally do not have a positive view of Ashes of Creation, especially when it comes to the Battle Royale alpha testing […].
I fear negative news and publicity due to the Steam release […], which could also have a negative impact on Ashes in general.
How long will Apocalypse be on Steam? Game Director Steven Sharif has addressed the questions and concerns on Discord. He understands the worries around Steam, but plans to work with the platform long-term.
Apocalypse is expected to remain on Steam until the release of the MMORPG or even beyond. Since the release of Ashes of Creation has been postponed to 2020, there is still plenty of time to test the game.
In addition to the Battle Royale, a fortress and a horde mode are also planned for the future of Apocalypse. However, there is still no detailed information about that.
In the latest developer blog, everything revolved around the horses in Ashes of Creation:
