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The economy of Ashes of Creation Alpha Two has once again been shaken by exploits, hotfixes, and rollbacks — but this time, many players are celebrating. After weeks of frustration with bugs and suspected gold duping, Intrepid Studios confirmed that 22 accounts were punished for abusing the crate diminishing returns bug.
According to updates from Community Managers Roshen and Luperza, these accounts were caught exploiting in a way that was both “excessive and intentional.” Actions included character deletions, permanent suspensions, and the removal of illegitimate gold and items. For many testers, this felt like long-awaited justice.
On the official Discord, the mood shifted from anger to relief. Testers praised Intrepid for finally enforcing the rules and cleaning up the Alpha environment. The studio even promised more transparency moving forward, with:
As Steven Sharif himself explained:
“If you encounter an exploit, you must report it immediately. Choosing instead to repeatedly abuse an exploit… will result in the loss of your Alpha access, and, if egregious, permanent removal from the game at launch.”
For legitimate testers, this is welcome news. The exploit had thrown the economy into chaos, and players feared meaningful testing data was being ruined.
While the bans were celebrated, conversation quickly turned to speculation. Many in the community openly suspect that the POLAR guild has been heavily involved in exploiting. On Discord and Reddit, POLAR’s name comes up repeatedly whenever crate runs, gold buying, or suspicious progression is mentioned.
No official confirmation has tied POLAR to the 22 banned accounts, but the perception is powerful. Other guilds accuse POLAR members of hoarding gold, running abnormal crate caravans, and benefitting from favoritism.
This isn’t the first time POLAR has been at the center of controversy. Testers recall earlier Alpha phases where their rapid gear progression sparked accusations of exploiting. Now, with bans confirmed, suspicion toward the guild is at an all-time high.
The bans have created a split in sentiment:
Still, the general tone is more optimistic than before. Players are calling this the “first real win against exploiters”, and many believe it will help stabilize the Alpha economy moving forward.
Exploits aren’t unusual in MMO testing, but handling them poorly can permanently damage trust. By not only banning accounts but also pledging transparency, Intrepid hopes to restore faith in the project.
For SEO relevance, here are the key points:
If Intrepid keeps delivering on enforcement, the testing environment could become healthier. But if guild favoritism proves real — or if players continue to believe POLAR and others are untouchable — the controversy could resurface quickly.
The Ashes of Creation Discord community is celebrating the latest bans as a much-needed stand against exploiters. Yet the shadow of suspicion looms large over the POLAR guild, whose name continues to be associated with unfair advantages.
Whether these suspicions are justified or not, Intrepid Studios must walk a fine line: enforce rules consistently, communicate clearly, and prove that no guild or player is above the system.
For now, at least, the testers of Verra can enjoy a small victory — one where the exploiters lost, and the community won.