AION 2 Release Date, Servers & Preload FAQ

Everything confirmed about the global launch, in one place — plus the things NC hasn’t announced yet, clearly marked so you know what to check back for. Dates and platforms here come from official announcements and the Steam listing; anything unconfirmed is labeled TBA rather than guessed.

What is the game, briefly?

AION 2 is NC’s Unreal Engine 5 sequel to the 2008 MMORPG AION: The Tower of Eternity, set 200 years after the original in the world of Atreia. The signature systems are the Elyos-versus-Asmodians faction war, free flight across every zone (plus underwater exploration, which the original never had), and a world roughly 36 times the size of its predecessor. Characters start as Adventurers and specialize into one of eight launch classes, with a launch level cap of 45 on the global build.

When does the game launch globally?

October 5, 2026. The date was announced at gamescom Opening Night Live in August; it lands slightly outside the “September 2026” window NC had previously communicated, though NC never officially called it a delay.

The launch is PC only, distributed through two channels: Steam (AppID 3393110) and NC’s own PURPLE launcher. There is no global mobile version — NC has stated that explicitly — and while a console version is in preparation, it’s expected to be operated separately rather than cross-played with PC. If you’re waiting for a phone client, global isn’t getting one; the global vs. Korea page covers how that differs from the Korean/Taiwanese releases, which do run on iOS and Android.

The game itself is free-to-play: no box price, no required subscription. The optional layer — a $15/month membership that unlocks trading and the Marketplace — is detailed in the membership and economy guide.

How big is the launch expected to be?

Very. The September 17–18 Launch Scale Test — a free, open stress test — peaked at 73,761 concurrent players on Steam alone inside its first six-hour window, and the PURPLE-side numbers aren’t even visible. The game also hit #4 on Steam’s wishlist charts ahead of launch (third-party estimates put the wishlist count somewhere between ~260K and ~570K — the trackers disagree, so treat it as “large”). Expect queues, crowded starter zones, and contested faction servers in week one — the same launch profile Korea saw, where day-one queues reportedly peaked around 30,000 players across 40 servers.

Which server regions will there be?

Confirmed regional servers: North America, South America, Europe, and Asia — NC’s earnings-report wording also lists Japan among the global regions.

One structural detail matters for faction balance: Elyos and Asmodians play on separate servers. Pick your faction first, then your region — your class choice works on either side since all eight launch classes are available to both factions.

How early can I actually play?

Three dates to know:

• September 30 – October 4 — Founder’s Pack early access. Five days, all three pack tiers, live progression that carries into launch.
• October 5 — full free-to-play launch for everyone.
• September 17–18 (passed) — the Launch Scale Test already ran: open stress test on Steam, level cap 37, all progress wiped. If you played it, none of that counts — but it did confirm the client runs and peaked at 73,761 concurrent players on Steam alone.

How big is the download, and can I preload?

The Steam page lists a ~100GB install — plan your disk space now.

Preload timing is TBA. NC has not announced when pre-download opens for either early access or launch. Given the file size, this is the one announcement worth watching closely if your connection is slow.

Which languages are supported?

The Steam listing shows eight interface languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Brazilian Portuguese.

What should I do before launch?

A short checklist that costs nothing:

• Register for the official newsletter. NC has confirmed newsletter signups receive a Pagati pet plus a pick-one-of-four pet reward, redeemable at launch — free items for an email address. The codes page tracks this and any other official freebies.
• Wishlist on Steam so preload (when announced) lands in your library automatically.
• Clear ~100GB of disk space. The install size is on the Steam page; day-one patching on a full drive is a preventable problem.
• Decide on early access. If you want to play September 30, the Founder’s Pack is the only way in — every tier shares the same start date.
• Pick a faction and a class ahead of time. Elyos and Asmodians are on separate servers, so coordinate with friends before launch day, and skim the class roster — all eight launch classes are playable by both factions.
• Join the official Discord (discord.gg/aion2official, ~30K members and the most likely channel for preload and unlock-time announcements).

What’s still TBA?

Things NC has not published as of September 20 — we’ll update this page the moment they land:

• Preload date for early access and launch
• Exact per-region unlock times (Oct 5 is the date; the hour is TBA)
• Steam Deck verification status — PC-only is confirmed, Deck compatibility is not
• Server names and per-region server counts