Global launch is October 5, 2026, and Founder's Pack Early Access opens five days earlier on September 30. As of this guide there are only a handful of days left on the clock — enough to make every decision that matters before the servers open, so you spend your head start playing instead of reading. This is the checklist.
Quick answer: AION 2 launches free-to-play worldwide on PC (Steam and PURPLE) on October 5, 2026. Founder's Pack owners get in September 30–October 4. Before then: decide whether you're buying a Founder's Pack (the only functional perk is the 5-day head start), pick a class and faction on paper, make sure your PC clears the requirements, and — for Launch Scale Test players — uninstall the Playtest App so you can install the real client. NC has not published a server-open clock time for either date; we'll update this post the moment it does.
Key takeaways
- Two dates that matter: Early Access Sept 30 (Founder's Pack only) and free-to-play launch Oct 5 (everyone). Both PC-only, via Steam and NC's PURPLE launcher.
- The Founder's Pack decision is really one question: do you want a 5-day head start? Everything else in the packs is cosmetic, a title, a starter chest, and a 30-day Membership.
- Decide your class and faction now. You can't test the retail build yet, so pick by playstyle and role, not by a "best class" tier list — nobody outside Korea has played the global build.
- The economy is Membership-gated. The player Market and the Kina↔Quna Exchange sit behind NC's optional $15/month Membership — worth knowing before you plan any "make gold fast" route.
- Launch Scale Test players have one required step: uninstall the Playtest App and install AION 2 separately for Sept 30. Your test progress was wiped — nothing carries over.
What is actually launching on October 5?
AION 2 is a new Unreal Engine 5 MMORPG from NC (NCSoft) — not a patch, remake, or continuation of the 2008 Aion or Aion Classic. Those are three separate games that unfortunately share names for currency, factions and zones, so ignore anything a search result tells you about "kinah," Abyss sieges or rifting that predates 2026; the AION 2 build reworked all of it.
The global version is a separate service from the Korean/Taiwanese one that launched on 2025-11-19. NC reworked the systems and the monetization for the West, so KR guides are a rough map, not the territory. What NC has confirmed for global:
- Launch: October 5, 2026, worldwide, free-to-play.
- Platform: Windows PC only at launch, via Steam and PURPLE (NC's own launcher). Mobile exists in KR/TW; there is no announced Western mobile release. A console version is confirmed after the PC launch, with no date and no named platform yet.
- Regions: dedicated services for North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Individual server names haven't been published.
"AION 2 makes its global debut October 5." — NC's Gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live announcement (Aug 25, 2026), as reported across MassivelyOP, Gematsu and MMORPG.com.
One honest caveat: until the servers are physically up, a further slip is always possible. But every Tier-1 source still carries October 5 with no change, and NC described the date as on track after completing its pre-launch milestones.
The AION 2 pre-launch checklist
Here's the order to work through. Each step links to a deeper guide where we have one.
1. Decide on a Founder's Pack (or don't) — deadline: before Sept 30
This is the first real decision because it's the only one with a time cost attached: a Founder's Pack is what gets you into Early Access on September 30 instead of waiting for October 5.
There are three tiers, and you can buy only one per account:
| Tier | USD | What's functional | What's cosmetic/extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $24.99 | 5-day Advance Access + 30-day Membership | Daeva's Campaign Supply Chest, "Vanguard of Atreia" title |
| Deluxe | $49.99 | (same head start + Membership) | + "Ascended Daeva" armor skin, "Eternal Sun" weapon skin |
| Ultimate | $99.99 | (same head start + Membership) | + Styling Chest, "Moonlit Aria" armor, "Black Dragon" pet, "Blazing Sun" wings |
The blunt version: the only gameplay-relevant thing in any pack is the head start (and a 30-day Membership, which matters for economy access — more below). If you don't care about a five-day lead or the cosmetics, you lose nothing by waiting for the free October 5 launch. If you do want in early, the Standard pack buys the head start at the lowest price; the higher tiers are pure cosmetics. Prices are limited-time and can move, so confirm on the Steam Founder's Pack page before buying. We break down every tier in the full AION 2 Founder's Pack breakdown.
2. Check your PC against the requirements — deadline: before you preload
AION 2 is PC-only, so this is non-negotiable. Confirm your rig clears the spec in our AION 2 system requirements guide, and note how much drive space you need free for the client so preload doesn't stall on the day. If you're on a laptop or handheld, treat "it runs" as a community observation, not a Valve/NC certification — full controller support is not confirmed for launch (a controller works, but NC is still evaluating full support).
3. Pick your class — on paper, by playstyle
You cannot test the retail build, and no honest "best class" or launch tier list exists yet — every one currently ranking is Korean-build extrapolation or seller-blog filler. Pick by the role you enjoy instead. The eight classes reported for the global launch:
- Templar — main tank. Gladiator — melee bruiser / off-tank.
- Assassin — melee DPS built around mobility and positioning. Ranger — ranged physical DPS.
- Sorcerer — ranged magic DPS. Spiritmaster (listed as Elementalist on some sources) — summoner / control.
- Cleric — primary healer. Chanter — support and buffs, a hybrid.
Our full AION 2 classes guide walks through each one and which to start as. Two open questions to keep in mind: NC hasn't published the final English class names, so the summoner's name may land as Spiritmaster or Elementalist; and the KR-only Brawler class is not confirmed for the global launch build. Don't lock your identity to a class that might not be there on day one.
4. Pick your faction — Elyos or Asmodian
You'll choose between the two factions, Elyos and Asmodian, playing an ascended, winged Daeva in the world of Atreia. Mechanically the factions are mirror sides of the same faction war; the choice is mostly about aesthetics and which side your friends roll — our Elyos or Asmodian guide covers the pick in detail. Reports suggest the factions may be separated outside the shared Abyss endgame, but NC hasn't confirmed the global server structure — so if you're playing with a group, coordinate the faction pick before Sept 30 rather than after.
5. Understand the economy before you plan a "gold rush"
This is the step most launch guides skip, and it changes how you play. AION 2's earned currency is Kina (often written "Kinah" — that's the spelling from the original Aion; NC's official global wording is Kina). The premium currency bought with real money is Quna, and it converts to Kina through a first-party Exchange.
The catch: the player Market and the Kina↔Quna Exchange are both locked behind NC's optional $15/month Membership. As MMORPG.com summarized NC's own notice, a free player's only Kina is "what drips in naturally from leveling, dungeons, etc." — selling loot to other players to build a reserve is off the table without Membership. Every Founder's Pack includes a 30-day Membership, which is one more reason the pack decision and the economy decision are linked. We cover the trade-offs in the AION 2 Membership guide and the Kina currency explainer. Plan accordingly: if you're going fully free, treat trading as something you may not have access to at launch.
6. If you played the Launch Scale Test, do this one thing
The Launch Scale Test ran September 17–18 and everything was wiped at the end of Day 2 — characters, progress, the lot. Nothing transfers to Early Access or launch. The one required action for Steam players: uninstall the Playtest App and install AION 2 as a separate client for the September 30 Advance Access (see our AION 2 Early Access guide for what carries over). PURPLE players need no further steps. A common community workaround for losing your character preset is to save your creation parameters via the Taiwan style shop and rebuild manually — that's a player tip, not an official transfer.
7. Preload and be ready for the clock
Watch the Steam page and the official channels for the preload window so the download is done before servers open. NC has not published an exact server-open time or timezone for either September 30 or October 5 — don't trust any specific "goes live at X" claim until it's on an official NC page. Bookmark this guide; we'll update it the minute the clock time drops.
AION 2 launch timeline at a glance
| Date | What happens | Who's in |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 16–18 | Launch Scale Test (finished; all progress wiped) | Everyone who opted in |
| Sept 30 – Oct 4 | Early Access / head start (5 days) | Founder's Pack owners |
| October 5 | Global free-to-play launch | Everyone |
| After PC launch | Console version (undated, no named platform) | TBA |
FAQ
When does AION 2 launch? AION 2 launches globally on October 5, 2026, free-to-play on PC via Steam and PURPLE. Founder's Pack owners get a five-day head start starting September 30, 2026.
Do I need to buy a Founder's Pack to play AION 2? No. The game is free-to-play from October 5. A Founder's Pack only buys you the five-day Early Access head start (Sept 30–Oct 4), a 30-day Membership, and cosmetics. If you don't want the early start, you lose no gameplay by waiting for launch.
What time do AION 2 servers open on September 30 and October 5? NC has not published an exact server-open time or timezone for either date as of this guide. Ignore any source claiming a specific clock time until it appears on an official NC channel — we'll update this post as soon as it does.
What's the best class to start as in AION 2? Nobody outside Korea has played the global retail build, so there is no honest launch tier list yet. Pick by role and playstyle from the eight launch classes — tank (Templar), bruiser (Gladiator), melee DPS (Assassin), ranged DPS (Ranger), magic DPS (Sorcerer), summoner (Spiritmaster/Elementalist), healer (Cleric) or support (Chanter). Real tier lists come after people have actually played.
Does my Launch Scale Test character carry over to launch? No. All Launch Scale Test progress and characters were wiped at the end of the test — nothing transfers to Early Access or launch. Steam players must also uninstall the Playtest App and install AION 2 as a separate client for the September 30 Advance Access.
Is AION 2 the same as the old Aion or Aion Classic? No. AION 2 (2026) is a new Unreal Engine 5 game from NC. The original Aion (2008) and Aion Classic are separate, still-running games. They share names for currency, factions and zones, but the systems are different — don't apply old-Aion mechanics to AION 2.
Can I play AION 2 on mobile or console? Global launch is PC-only. Mobile versions exist in Korea and Taiwan but no Western mobile release is announced. A console version is confirmed for after the PC launch, with no date and no named platform yet.
Facts in this guide are verified against NC's official AION 2 channels and Steam listings as of September 21, 2026, and reflect what NC has confirmed for the global launch. Pre-launch dates and details can change; we update this page as NC publishes more.
Getting set up for launch day? AION 2 doesn't have a dedicated storefront page here yet — but if you play other MMOs and shooters, you can browse everything we cover in one place.
