Of Ash and Steel
An RPG without quest markers on a fallen island kingdom.
Of Ash and Steel is an action role-playing game from developer Fire & Frost and publisher tinyBuild, launching on Windows on November 24, 2025. The story unfolds on the Kingdom of the Seven, an island in ruins. The game deliberately avoids a quest marker system, pushing players to explore the map on their own. Combat blends swords, bows, and magic, and players can customize their abilities, which in turn affects how non-player characters react to them.
Fire & Frost aimed to create a game inspired by role-playing games from the 2000s. Victor Kondakov, head of the studio, served as lead developer, and the game was built using Unreal Engine 4. Originally slated for a November 6, 2025 release, the team pushed it back to November 24 after encountering technical issues that needed extra work. In September 2026, tinyBuild announced that PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions, along with a new DLC called "Shattered Faith," are in development, with no release date set yet.
Within its first few days on Steam, the game sold an estimated 36,500 copies and earned a gross revenue of $702,000. The peak concurrent player count on Steam reached 6,000 in the first week, but has steadily dropped since. On OpenCritic, it holds a 28% Critics Recommend rating, and on Metacritic, it has a Mixed or Average score of 57. Critics praised the large map, a likable main character, and combat that starts clunky but improves over time. However, the lack of a map and difficult navigation were cited as drawbacks that keep the game from reaching its full potential.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Fire & Frost
- Publisher
- tinyBuild
- Writer
- Alexander Pylin / Andrey Emashov
- Platforms
- Windows
- Released
- November 24, 2025
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Genre
- Role-playing video game
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Of Ash and Steel takes place on the Kingdom of the Seven, an island that has fallen into a state of disrepair. The game features combat with swords, bows, and magical elements, and allows the player to customize their abilities, which in turn changes how non-player characters view them. The game has no quest marker system, designed to encourage players to explore the map on their own.
Fire & Frost stated that their goal as a studio is to make games inspired by role-playing video games from the 2000s. Victor Kondakov served as head of Fire & Frost Studios and lead developer. The game was developed using Unreal Engine 4.
The game was originally scheduled for release on November 6, 2025, but was delayed to November 24 after technical issues were discovered that required additional work. In September 2026, tinyBuild announced that versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, as well as a new DLC titled 'Shattered Faith', are in development with no announced release date.
Reader's Guide
Of Ash and Steel is notable for its deliberate design choice to omit a quest marker system, a feature that divided critics and players. The game sold an estimated 36,500 copies on Steam within its first few days, generating a gross revenue of $702,000, and reached a peak of 6,000 concurrent players on Steam in its first week, though the active player count has since declined consistently. Critical reception was mixed, with the game holding a 28% Critics Recommend rating on OpenCritic and a Metascore of 57 on Metacritic. Critics praised its sizeable map, likeable protagonist, and combat that starts clunky but improves over time, while citing the lack of a map and difficulty of navigation as factors that held the game back from achieving its full potential. The game's legacy lies in its attempt to revive exploration-focused RPG design from the 2000s, though its commercial and critical performance suggests a niche appeal. The announced ports and DLC indicate continued support, but the game's long-term significance remains tied to its polarizing navigation system and modest sales figures.
Did You Know?
- The game has no quest marker system to encourage exploration.
- It was delayed from November 6 to November 24, 2025 due to technical issues.
- A DLC titled 'Shattered Faith' was announced in September 2026.
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