The MMO that was supposed to change it all is on the brink of extinction following mysterious developer exodus

Ashes of Creation, an ambitious, grand, promising MMORPG that was supposed to bring sweeping innovations to the genre, is likely dead following a mysterious exodus of its developers. Intrepid Studios’ chief executive, Steven Sharif, said board decisions were to blame, though the only board members are himself and his partner.

In a very strange turn of events, Ashes of Creation might be as dead as they come amid a massive layoff at its developer, Intrepid Studios. In a Discord message shared with players, chief executive Steven Sharif briefly explained the situation at the studio after fans started noticing studio executives switching to “open to work” on LinkedIn, wccftech writes.

It would tremendously take away from the message if I were to truncate it, so here it is in full:

“I can make a limited statement in my personal capacity and not on behalf of the company, regarding the situation. Control of the company shifted away from me, and the Board began directing actions that I could not ethically agree with or carry out.

“As a result, I chose to resign in protest rather than lend my name or authority to decisions I could not ethically support. Following my resignation, much of the senior leadership team resigned. Following those departures, the Board made the decision to issue WARN Act notices and proceed with a mass layoff.”

Sharif seems to have been pressured by a company board into performing (possibly financial?) decisions he did not agree with, prompting his and many other resignations at the company, and the subsequent mass firing of lower-level staff. This wouldn’t be the first time something like this had happened in a game development studio or any other form of company, though what’s strange is that the only board members at Intrepid Studios are Sharif himself and his husband, CFO John Moore.

It would then mean that Sharif and Moore, the sole board members, pressured themselves into performing actions they themselves did not agree with. If anyone took over the company in the meantime, as Sharif seems to suggest, that wasn’t filed with the State of California, where Intrepid Studios is based.

However, the filing, shared among users on the Ashes of Creation subreddit, seems to only include executive directors, while any potential investors, stockholders, or other funders could be listed elsewhere as non-executive directors. Whether or not they could have had the power to perform a takeover of Intrepid Studios is, as of yet, unclear.

Sharif also previously claimed, as archived by a Reddit user, that Intrepid Studios isn’t “governed by greedy ‘corporate overlords,'” and that he alone was “funding the project,” meaning there were “no investors or a board to answer to, no publisher to appease.”

Ashes of Creation has been in development since at least 2016 and secured millions in funding on Kickstarter in 2017. It promised to change the MMORPG genre by giving players total freedom in how they shape their own world. However, though it did receive a lot of updates and improvements over the years, its 2025 early access launch was met with a lukewarm to negative response, with bugs, incomplete features, and a lack of content being major complaints.

It didn’t survive even two months in Steam early access, it would appear, and it’s likely we’ll be hearing of its total cancellation sometime soon.

The post The MMO that was supposed to change it all is on the brink of extinction following mysterious developer exodus appeared first on Destructoid.

The Future Stars Academy Evolution allows you to get two superstars for your Ultimate Team squad in FC 26.

The evolution can be done twice, and both chances are available for free. There are certain restrictions that determine which items can be used. You can completely change the look and feel of these cards with dedicated position, roles, and playstyle upgrades.

Let’s look at how you can make the most of these evolutions in Ultimate Team.

All FC 26 Future Stars Academy Evolution requirements

The Future Stars Academy allows you to evolve two cards. We can already complete the full range of evolutions once, and the second opportunity should arrive soon as part of a new objective set.

The requirements are simple: they must be born on or after Jan. 30, 2004, and their overall rating must not be above 84.

All FC 26 Future Stars Academy Evolution upgrades

Once you’ve put a card of your choice through the Future Stars Academy Contract Evolution, you can put it through one of the three following upgrades. Your decision will be based on the position of your Academy card (attackers, defenders, and midfielders).

Future Stars Academy Debut Attackers

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +40|86
• Sprint Speed: +40|82
• Strength: +40|75
• Volleys: +40|80
• Composure: +40|78

Level 2 upgrades

• Balance: +40|80
• Long Shots: +40|80
• Reactions: +40|78
• Shot Power: +40|82
• Vision: +40|78

Level 3 upgrades

• Aggression: +40|75
• Ball control: +40|82
• Positioning: +40|84
• Short Passing: +40|82
• Free Kick: +40|78

Level 4 upgrades

• Acceleration: +40|82
• Heading Acc.: +40|76
• Long Passing: +40|76
• Penalties: +40|80
• Stamina: +40|80

Level 5 upgrades

• Agility: +40|80
• Curve: +40|78
• Dribbling: +40|82
• Finishing: +40|84
• Jumping: +40|75

Level 1 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 2 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 3 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 4 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 5 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Future Stars Academy Debut Midfielders

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +40|86
• Acceleration: +20|80
• Agility: +40|82
• Reactions: +40|80
• Sprint Speed: +20|80
• Vision: +20|81

Level 2 upgrades

• Defending: +20|75
• Acceleration: +20|80
• Aggression: +40|75
• Balance: +40|82
• Curve: +40|80
• Sprint Speed: +20|80

Level 3 upgrades

• Ball control: +40|82
• Dribbling: +40|82
• Short Passing: +40|83
• Free Kick: +40|80
• Stamina: +40|82
• Vision: +20|81

Level 4 upgrades

• Shooting: +20|75
• Crossing: +40|82
• Jumping: +40|75
• Long Passing: +40|83
• Strength: +40|75
• Composure: +40

Level 1 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 2 upgrade requirements

• Win 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 3 upgrade requirements

• Play 3 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 4 upgrade requirements

• Play 3 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Future Stars Academy Debut Defenders

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +40|86
• Acceleration: +40|75
• Def. Aware: +40|83
• Sprint Speed: +40|75
• Stand Tackle: +40|84
• Stamina: +40|75

Level 2 upgrades

• Aggression: +40|83
• Agility: +40|73
• Curve: +40|70
• Dribbling: +40|74
• Long Shots: +40|65
• Strength: +40|81

Level 3 upgrades

• Balance: +40|73
• Interceptions: +40|83
• Long Passing: +40|78
• Reactions: +40|83
• Short Passing: +40|79
• Composure: +40

Level 4 upgrades

• Ball control: +40|72
• Heading Acc.: 40|80
• Jumping: +40|83
• Shot Power: +40|75
• Slide Tackle: +40|84
• Vision: +40|65

Level 1 upgrade requirements

• Play 3 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 2 upgrade requirements

• Play 3 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 3 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 4 upgrade requirements

• Win 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Once done, the next set of upgrades allows you to improve the cards based on their positional speciality.

All FC 26 Future Stars Academy First XI Evolution upgrades

Future Stars Academy RW/LW XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Crossing: +15|85
• Long Passing: +10|80
• Short Passing: +10|84
• Free Kick: +10|80
• Vision: +10|84

Level 2 upgrades

• Physical: +10|80
• Acceleration: +15|92
• Balance: +15|88
• Reactions: +10|87
• Sprint Speed: +15|92
• Composure: +10|87

Level 3 upgrades

• Agility: +15|90
• Ball control: +10|90
• Curve: +15|82
• Dribbling: +15|90
• Penalties: +10|82

Level 4 upgrades

• Finishing: +10|87
• Long Shots: +15|86
• Positioning: +15|87
• Shot Power: +10|86
• Volleys: +10|84

Future Stars Academy LM/RM XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Ball control: +15|87
• Dribbling: +15|88
• Reactions: +10|87
• Stamina: +15

Level 2 upgrades

• Balance: +15|88
• Crossing: +15|89
• Long Passing: +15|88
• Penalties: +10|84
• Strength: +10|81
• Vision: +15|89

Level 3 upgrades

• Aggression: +10|81
• Agility: +15|89
• Curve: +15|89
• Free Kick: +10|86
• Shot Power: +10|86
• Volleys: +10|85

Level 4 upgrades

• Pace :+10|90
• Finishing: +10|85
• Long Shots: +10|85
• Positioning: +10|85
• Short Passing: +15|88
• Composure: +10|87

Future Stars Academy CM/CDM XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Heading Acc.: +15|88
• Jumping: +10|88
• Slide Tackle: +15|89

Level 2 upgrades

• Passing: +8|84
• Aggression: +10|83
• Agility: +10|88
• Composure: +10|85

Level 3 upgrades

• Def. Aware: +15|90
• Reactions: +10|88
• Stand Tackle: +15|88
• Strength: +10|85

Level 4 upgrades

• Pace: +8|84
• Shooting: +10|82
• Balance: +10|86
• Interceptions: +15|90
• Stamina: +15|90

Future Stars Academy CB XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Slide Tackle: +15|88
• Stand Tackle: +15|90
• Stamina: +10|87

Level 2 upgrades

• Acceleration: +10|85
• Aggression: +10|87
• Interceptions: +15|88
• Jumping: +10|87
• Long Passing: +10|85

Level 3 upgrades

• Def. Aware: +15|90
• Reactions: +15|86
• Short Passing: +10|86
• Strength: +10

Level 4 upgrades

• Heading Acc.: +15|88
• Short Passing: +5|86
• Sprint Speed: +10|87
• Vision: +10|85
• Composure: +10|86

Future Stars Academy ST XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Finishing: +15|90
• Positioning: +10|91
• Volleys: +10|83

Level 2 upgrades

• Aggression: +15|80
• Agility: +10|88
• Jumping: +15|85
• Stamina: +15|85
• Composure: +15|87

Level 3 upgrades

• Pace: +10|90
• Passing: +8|82
• Ball control: +10|85
• Reactions: +10|86
• Strength: +15|83

Level 4 upgrades

• Balance: +10|87
• Dribbling: +10|89
• Long Shots: +10|88
• Penalties: +10|90
• Shot Power: +15

Future Stars Academy CM/CAM XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Shooting: +10|86
• Short Passing: +15|92
• Vision: +10|90

Level 2 upgrades

• Aggression:+10|78
• Agility: +15|88
• Jumping: +10|79
• Stamina: +15|85
• Composure: +15

Level 3 upgrades

• Pace: +8|86
• Ball control: +10|87
• Curve: +10|85
• Reactions: +10|88
• Strength: +10|78

Level 4 upgrades

• Balance: +15|88
• Crossing: +10|90
• Dribbling: +15|88
• Long Passing: +15|90
• Free Kick: +10|88

Future Stars Academy LB/RB XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Crossing: +15|90
• Long Passing: +15|89
• Short Passing: +15|87
• Sprint Speed: +15|90
• Vision: +15|86

Level 2 upgrades

• Agility: +15|88
• Balance: +15|88
• Ball control: +15|86
• Curve: +15|89
• Dribbling: +15|86
• Reactions: +15|86

Level 3 upgrades

• Heading Acc: +10|84
• Interceptions: +15|86
• Def. Aware: +15|86
• Slide Tackle: +15|86
• Stand Tackle: +15|86
• Composure: +15|86

Level 4 upgrades

• Acceleration: +15|92
• Aggression: +15|85
• Jumping: +10|84
• Stamina: +15|87
• Strength: +15|84

All First XI evolutions require you to play five matches and win five matches, spread across the four different tasks.

Best players for the Future Stars Academy Contract Evolution

Here are some of the best players to consider for the Academy evolution.

• Patrick Dorgu TOTW
• Lennart Karl TOTW
• Lewis Miley TOTW
• Senny Mayulu TOTW
• Gavi TOTW
• Lucas Bergvall TOTW
• Vicky Lopez
• Yan Diomande
• Wolff Ultimate Scream

You’ll have to put all the cards through multiple Roles and Playstyle+ evolutions, which will depend on your personal preferences. Before that, don’t forget to put your chosen cards in the Future Stars Club Legend Academy Evolutions to take them all the way up to 90 overall.

The post Best players for FC 26 Future Stars Academy Evolution appeared first on Destructoid.