Fix Ashes of Creation ‘Steam Auth Failed’ Error (AIpha Phase III)

If you are trying to log into Ashes of Creation during the latest Alpha Phase III playtest and getting slapped with a “Steam Auth Failed” or “Steam ID Mismatch” error, you are not alone. This issue has surged following the latest patch, preventing players from entering the game world.

According to a pinned message on the official Intrepid Studios Discord, this is primarily an issue with the handshake between your Steam account and your Intrepid account. Here is how to get back into Verra.

The Core Issue

The error typically isn’t on your client side-it’s a backend verification failure. The game client sends your Steam ID to Intrepid’s servers, but if the cached token is invalid or the account link has desynced (common after major database migrations in Alpha), the server rejects the connection to prevent unauthorized access.

Fix 1: Re-link Your Account (Most Common Fix)

This is the solution verified by the developers. You need to refresh the connection between platforms.

1. Close the Game and Steam: Ensure Ashes of Creation.exe is not running.
2. Go to the Intrepid Portal: Navigate to the official Ashes of Creation website and log in to your profile.
3. Unlink Steam: In your “Account Settings” or “Profile” tab, look for the Linked Accounts section. Click Unlink next to Steam.
4. Wait 5 Minutes: Give the database a moment to propagate the change.
5. Re-link: Click Link Steam Account. You will be redirected to the Steam login page to authorize the connection again.
6. Launch: Restart Steam and try to play.

Fix 2: Verify Integrity of Game Files

If re-linking doesn’t work, a corrupted localized auth file might be the culprit.

1. Right-click Ashes of Creation in your Steam Library.
2. Select Properties > Installed Files.
3. Click Verify integrity of game files.
4. Allow the process to complete. It will likely re-acquire 1-2 small files related to the launcher configuration.

Fix 3: Time Sync (Windows)

Authentication tokens are time-sensitive. If your system clock is even a minute off from the server time, the security token will be rejected immediately as “expired.”

1. Right-click the time/date in your Windows taskbar.
2. Select Adjust date/time.
3. Toggle Set time automatically to OFF, wait a few seconds, and toggle it back ON.
4. Click the Sync now button.

If you are still experiencing issues after trying all three fixes, submit a support ticket via the launcher, but for 90% of players, the Re-link method (Fix 1) solves the specific Alpha Phase III auth error.