Dev Update - Multiplayer || 09/17/2026
The question every indie developer has to ask themselves is why should anyone spend their cash and their time on your product, especially when there's so many other great games and experiences already out there.
When I first started creating Ash & Rust in 2018, there were only a handful of other ARPGs, with minor innovations. So just being released was enough to get a lot of attention. 8 years later, the ARPG genre has completely exploded with great titles, and competing against them is more difficult than ever.
So, what can I possibly bring to the table as a solo developer against the juggernauts of the genre? Well, to my knowledge there are currently no other ARPGs that bring ROLE-based combat to the table. That is, the ability to separate your party into distinct roles (which you create from scratch using my grid-based character constructing system), such as Healers, Tanks, Crowd Control specialists, and any combination thereof. There are games like Lost Ark which get close, but that's an MMO with pre-built classes that strays far from the core tenets of the isometric ARPGs we love.
The build-your-own-class systems avaiable in Ash & Rust have been received really well and as I hoped, the "Tetris" style grid system is a satisfying and innovative mechanic.
The final piece to complete AnR as a unique and worthy ARPG experience is the ability to take those hand-crafted characters into a PARTY and overcome challenges via cohesive strategic combat. I've been mindful to balance the game such that having a diverse party of roles would be the most satisfying way to progress through the game, especially the new mode/content releasing with Mulitplayer.
I've been giddy with excitement every time I test the game and try out all the different possible roles with my Party. I hope that experience shines through for all of you as well. I'm also working on a matchmaking system that will hopefully make FORMING a party of new friends into an easy and meaningful experience. Some of my greatest friends have been made through gaming, and I'm hoping to faciliate that for us all.
I'm aiming to release the Multiplayer beta into the main-game by Halloween. Thank you all for your support!
-Shai
