AION 2 Goes Globally Free-to-Play on October 5 — Scale Test & Founder's Pack Schedule

During the gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live broadcast in Cologne, Germany, NC (formerly NCSOFT) officially announced that AION 2 will launch worldwide on October 5, 2026, free-to-play on PC through both Steam and the NCSOFT PURPLE launcher, with servers covering North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. After debuting first in Korea and Taiwan, this Unreal Engine 5 open-world MMORPG is finally ready to welcome players from around the globe.

1. Launch Roadmap: Three Steps to Global Release

2. Scale Test Details: 12 Free Hours to Try the Game

The September 17–18 Launch Scale Test is open to all players and is the perfect chance to get a feel for the game before launch — but be aware of the restrictions:

Worth noting: Steam players will need to uninstall the test client and download the full client again to enter Early Access after the test ends; PURPLE users can transition over seamlessly.

3. Founder's Packs: Is a 5-Day Head Start Worth It?

Players who want to set foot in Atreia before October 5 will need a Founder's Pack. All three tiers include the same 5-day Early Access and a 30-day membership:

NC has emphasized that Founder's Pack contents are cosmetic items and early-game consumables only — no stat advantages. Character progress, levels, and gear earned during Early Access all carry over to the live servers, which means a 5-day head start is a very real competitive edge in an MMORPG's launch race.

4. The Economy: Kinah and Quna Dual-Currency System

AION 2 runs on a free-to-play model with a dual-currency economy:

• Kinah — The primary in-game soft currency, earned through quests, dungeons, hunting, crafting, and selling loot. It fuels core progression: gear enhancement, repairs, teleportation, and marketplace purchases;
• Quna — The premium paid currency that drives the cash shop, battle pass, and optional membership perks. It can be converted into Kinah through a player-driven exchange system;
• Membership ($15/month, optional) — Unlocks full access to the player Marketplace and Kinah↔Quna exchange. You can enjoy leveling, dungeons, and Abyss faction warfare entirely without a membership, but trading privileges are limited.

5. System Requirements: Make Sure Your PC Can Fly

The minimum specs are remarkably accessible — the GTX 1050 Ti dates back to 2016, so most mainstream gaming PCs and laptops from recent years will run the game smoothly. The one thing to prepare in advance is 100GB of storage space.

6. Why It's Worth the Hype: A Flying Fantasy Built on UE5

AION 2 is neither a remake nor an update of the 2008 original — it is a completely new game built from the ground up on Unreal Engine 5. Its world is roughly 36 times larger than the first game, with vertical space fully utilized across a seamless open world. Flight is not just a means of travel but the foundation of aerial combat, exploration, and tactical positioning. Classic elements return: the Elyos–Asmodian two-faction conflict and massive Abyss faction wars, alongside tank, DPS, healer, and support roles, content ranging from solo dungeons to 4-player and 8-player group instances, a deep character creator, and a pet system that doubles as mounts.

7. Summary: Key Dates at a Glance

From the gamescom Opening Night announcement to a clear three-phase roadmap, NC's plan is well laid out: stress the servers with the scale test, warm things up with Founder's Packs, then open the floodgates to the world on October 5. Whether you're a veteran of the original AION or an MMORPG newcomer, the September 17 scale test is a zero-cost chance to experience the UE5 version of Atreia for yourself — just make sure to clear 100GB of disk space in advance.