AION 2 Launches Globally as Free-to-Play, and It’s Already Topping Steam’s Charts
AION 2 Launches Globally as Free-to-Play, and It's Already Topping Steam's Charts
AION 2 went live globally on October 5, 2026, launching free-to-play on PC through both Steam and NCSOFT’s own PURPLE launcher. The sequel to NCSOFT’s 2008 MMORPG had been pencilled in for a September release before the studio pushed it back to October 5 at gamescom’s Opening Night Live in August, and the extra weeks clearly paid off: AION 2 landed at the top of Steam’s global top-sellers chart within its first day live.
NCSOFT is running AION 2 on a cosmetics-first monetization model, with the publisher stating plainly that purchases consist of “appearance-only cosmetics plus early-game consumables, with no stat advantages.” That is a notably more player-friendly stance than the original AION’s reputation for grind, and it is paired with regional servers across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia so latency should not be the thing standing between you and the Abyss.
Founder's Packs, Early Access, and the Road to Launch
Players who picked up a Founder’s Pack ($24.99, $49.99, or $99.99) got a head start with Early Access running September 30 through October 4, on top of a public Launch Scale Test held September 17-18 to stress-test the servers before the full rollout. If you skipped all that, the good news is you have not missed much: the global server economy is still brand new as of this week.
Where to Play
AION 2 is available now on Steam. Since it is free-to-play, the easiest way to pick up cosmetics or Founder’s Pack upgrades without reaching for a card is a Steam Wallet Code (EU) or Steam Wallet Code (US), depending on which regional store you are shopping from.
