Ashen Xbox One listing signals December 7 surprise release

Development of Ashen, Aurora44's enigmatic action RPG, has been underway for some time, defined by its unforgiving combat, and unique visual styling. Despite several E3 appearances and gaining traction under Xbox One's ID@Xbox indie program, we're yet to receive a firm release date. While a new year is on the horizon, the studio is still promising a 2018 debut.

Although firm details on Ashen are limited, a revised Microsoft Store listing has surfaced, indicating an imminent launch. Visiting the Xbox One's digital marketplace presents an erroneous "Ashen available now" tile, linking to the game's pre-release store page. Paired with a slated December 7, 2018 launch, it seems likely Ashen will see its imminent arrival this week.

Related: Why Ashen is my most anticipated Xbox game for 2018

With The Game Awards 2018 scheduled for December 6, we're already expecting hefty reveals from major publishers. Over 10 new titles are currently expected, with a Crash Tag Team Racing remaster, Alien: Blackout, and more among the likely lineup. New Xbox Game Pass titles are also being teased, and with Ashen set to hit the subscription service, this could line up as a strong indie to round off the year.

In the meantime, we've reached out to Aurora44 for confirmation on Ashen's launch. Without official word, stay wary over the coming days.

Matt Brown

Matt Brown was formerly a Windows Central's Senior Editor, Xbox & PC, at Future. Following over seven years of professional consumer technology and gaming coverage, he’s focused on the world of Microsoft's gaming efforts. You can follow him on Twitter @mattjbrown.