AION 2 goes live globally on October 5, 2026 at 6:00 AM PDT / 13:00 UTC — the moment the game becomes free-to-play for everyone and the global launch servers open. If you have been playing the Founder's Pack Advance Access, your character is not wiped; your Advance Access servers keep running and roll straight into launch. This is the exact launch clock NC (NCSoft) published on its official Steam news channel, and below we break it down into every major timezone, explain the maintenance gap, and answer what carries over and what you need to play.
Quick answer: AION 2's global launch is October 5, 2026 at 6:00 AM PDT (13:00 UTC). Advance Access ends October 4 at 10:00 PM PDT (October 5, 05:00 UTC), then servers go down for maintenance until the launch opening. It's free-to-play — no Founder's Pack required to play at launch. (Source: NC's official "Advanced Access Servers" post on Steam for AppID 3393110.)
What time does AION 2 launch?
The global launch server-open time is now officially published by NC. Verbatim from NC's "Advanced Access Servers" notice on the AION 2 Steam page (AppID 3393110):
"Global Launch — October 5th at 6AM PDT / October 5th at 13:00 UTC."
That is a single, simultaneous global launch time — NC has not announced a staggered per-region rollout for launch day. Everyone's servers open at the same UTC moment; only the local clock differs.
Here is that exact moment translated into the timezones most of our readers use:
| Region / timezone | AION 2 launch time (Oct 5, 2026) |
|---|---|
| UTC | 13:00, October 5 |
| US Pacific (PDT) | 6:00 AM, October 5 |
| US Mountain (MDT) | 7:00 AM, October 5 |
| US Central (CDT) | 8:00 AM, October 5 |
| US Eastern (EDT) | 9:00 AM, October 5 |
| Brazil (BRT, São Paulo) | 10:00 AM, October 5 |
| UK (BST) | 2:00 PM, October 5 |
| Central Europe (CEST) | 3:00 PM, October 5 |
| Moscow (MSK) | 4:00 PM, October 5 |
| Korea / Japan (KST/JST) | 10:00 PM, October 5 |
| Australia East (AEDT, Sydney) | 12:00 AM, October 6 |
Only the PDT and UTC figures are NC's own words; the rest are standard conversions of that single 13:00 UTC launch moment. If NC posts a last-minute change, we'll update this page — bookmark it and check back a few minutes before launch.
The maintenance gap: why you can't play right now between Advance Access and launch
There is a planned downtime window between the end of Advance Access and the start of launch. This catches people out every time, so here is the full schedule straight from the same NC post:
| Phase | Window (PDT) | Window (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| Advance Access | Sep 30, 6:00 AM → Oct 4, 10:00 PM | Sep 30, 13:00 → Oct 5, 05:00 |
| Launch maintenance | Oct 4, 10:00 PM → Oct 5, 6:00 AM | Oct 5, 05:00 → 13:00 |
| Global launch | Oct 5, 6:00 AM | Oct 5, 13:00 |
So on the night of October 4 (PDT), Advance Access ends at 10:00 PM, the servers go down for roughly 8 hours of maintenance, and they come back up at 6:00 AM PDT on October 5 as the live launch servers. NC explicitly flags that the maintenance window is flexible: "Maintenance times are subject to change so please stay tuned into social channels for any updates." In practice, launch maintenance for a large MMO can overrun, so treat 6:00 AM PDT as the earliest realistic open, not a hard guarantee.
Do I need a Founder's Pack to play at launch?
No. From October 5, AION 2 is free-to-play for everyone — no purchase required to download and play. The Founder's Packs only ever bought you two things: the 5-day Advance Access head start (Sep 30 – Oct 4) and some cosmetics, a title, and a starter chest. If you waited, launch day is your on-ramp and it costs nothing.
If you do still want a Founder's Pack, NC gave a hard cutoff in its "Jump Into Advanced Access" post:
"If you don't have a Founder's Pack yet, your last chance is October 5th 8:00 AM PDT / October 5th at 17:00 CEST."
After that window the packs are gone. For most players there is no reason to buy one once free launch has started — the head start it pays for is over.
Does Advance Access progress carry over to launch?
Yes — and this is the single most important thing to understand if you've been playing the head start. Unlike the September Launch Scale Test (which was a separate test build that got fully wiped), your Advance Access character persists into launch — there is no wipe. Your Daeva, your level, your gear, your Kina all stay. You are not starting over on October 5.
A few consequences worth knowing, straight from NC's own launch-week notices:
- Advance Access servers are a separate pool from the new commercial launch servers. Your head-start character lives on an Advance Access server and stays there. NC has been clear about this in its "Information on server transfer" notice: when server transfers open, "Early Access players may only transfer between Early Access Servers, and not commercial launch servers." So pick a good home server now — you won't be able to hop onto a brand-new launch server with your head-start character.
- Free server transfers open October 14. NC: "Server transfers will be available in the future starting on October 14th and you'll have a chance to move between servers within the same faction" — and "Server Transfers will initially be free during this period." Transfers are within the same faction only, so your faction choice is permanent even once transfers go live. Note that all instanced content, including dungeons, is already cross-server, so a busy server doesn't lock you out of group content.
- Non-Founder players can still join you at launch. Your Advance Access server stays open on October 5, so a friend who waited for the free launch can create a character on it and group up — they just need to select the same region and server you're on.
- Nothing from the Korean or Taiwanese version transfers. NC confirmed this directly in its Launch FAQ: "any progress between the TW/KR and global version will not carry over." The global service is a completely separate, fresh-start service.
What you need to play on launch day
AION 2 global launches PC-only (Windows), on both Steam and NC's own PURPLE launcher. NC's Launch FAQ confirms the two clients are equivalent: "the in-game content is the same for both Steam and Purple users," and you do not need to link the two accounts to play. Pick whichever launcher you prefer — many players report Steam is the smoother default for downloads and updates.
To be ready the second servers open:
- Pre-download the client now. The Advance Access pre-download has been live since September 28 (6:00 AM PDT). If you downloaded during the head start you're already set; new free players should install ahead of the 13:00 UTC open so you're not stuck patching when everyone else logs in.
- Expect a login queue. A free-to-play MMO launch on two storefronts at one global moment will generate queues. NC offers a priority queue for Membership holders in good standing, but describes it as "a privilege, not a guarantee." If you hit a queue, that's normal launch-day congestion, not a broken client.
- Have your region, faction and server decided in advance. You'll choose them in that order at login. Knowing your pick before launch saves you from fumbling it while a queue timer ticks.
For a full pre-launch checklist and the server list by region, see our AION 2 launch countdown checklist and the AION 2 server list.
Known issues to expect at launch
NC is already tracking a short list of bugs from Advance Access on its official "Advanced Access Known Issues" notice (last updated October 2). Two worth knowing going into launch:
- After earning the "Vanguard of Atreia" title (the Founder's Pack reward), the English title menu may display "Shaper of Heavens" instead — a display bug, not a lost title.
- If you open the Duty tab on the Map before reaching level 45, Duties won't become available when you hit 45 until the following day. NC's workaround: "This issue can be avoided by not accessing the Duty tab until reaching level 45."
NC also pushed fixes during Advance Access for Early-Access status not being recognized at login and for some in-game purchase failures, applied automatically on client restart with no downtime. Account-linking issues were still being investigated as of the latest notice. Expect the usual launch-day turbulence — login errors, queues and patcher hiccups — in the first hours. We'll be publishing targeted fix guides for specific error codes as they appear on October 5.
How to not miss the launch
The cleanest way to be in Atreia at the opening bell:
- Install and pre-download the client today (Steam or PURPLE) so you're not patching at 13:00 UTC.
- Convert the launch time to your local clock from the table above and set an alarm for ~15 minutes before, to beat the first queue wave.
- Decide your region, faction and server now — you choose them in that order at the character screen.
- Expect maintenance to possibly overrun past 6:00 AM PDT; watch NC's official channels for any slip.
That's the whole picture: one global launch moment, October 5 at 13:00 UTC, with your Advance Access progress intact and no purchase required to join.
FAQ
What time does AION 2 launch? Globally on October 5, 2026 at 6:00 AM PDT / 13:00 UTC, when servers reopen after launch maintenance. That's 9:00 AM EDT, 2:00 PM BST, 3:00 PM CEST, and 10:00 PM KST/JST. This is a single simultaneous global launch — NC has not announced a staggered per-region rollout.
Is there downtime before launch? Yes. Advance Access ends October 4 at 10:00 PM PDT (October 5, 05:00 UTC), then servers go down for launch maintenance until October 5 at 6:00 AM PDT (13:00 UTC). NC notes the maintenance window is subject to change, so it could run slightly longer.
Do I need to buy a Founder's Pack to play at launch? No. AION 2 is free-to-play from October 5 — no purchase needed. The Founder's Packs only bought the 5-day Advance Access head start plus cosmetics; that head start ends at launch. NC's stated last chance to buy a pack is October 5 at 8:00 AM PDT / 17:00 CEST.
Does my Advance Access progress carry over to launch? Yes — there is no wipe. Your Advance Access character, level, gear and Kina all persist into launch; your head-start server simply keeps running. Note that Advance Access servers are a separate pool from the new commercial launch servers, and NC's free server transfers (opening October 14, within the same faction) let Early Access players move only between Early Access servers. This is different from the September Launch Scale Test, which was a separate build that got fully reset.
Will my Korean or Taiwanese AION 2 progress transfer to global? No. NC confirmed in its Launch FAQ that no progress carries over between the TW/KR versions and the global version. Global is a fresh, separate service.
What platforms is AION 2 on at launch? PC only (Windows), via Steam and NC's PURPLE launcher. The in-game content is identical on both, and you don't need to link the accounts. A console version is confirmed for sometime after the PC launch, but it has no date or named platform yet.
Will there be a launch-day login queue? Very likely. A free-to-play MMO launching on two storefronts at one global moment draws heavy traffic. Membership holders get a priority queue, which NC describes as a privilege rather than a guarantee. Pre-downloading and logging in early helps.
More AION 2 guides
Launching with AION 2 on October 5? Get set up fast with our pre-launch guides:
- AION 2 launch countdown checklist — everything to do before servers open
- AION 2 server list and faction matchmaking — every region and server explained
- AION 2 early access guide — what the head start includes and what carries over
- AION 2 head-start leveling route — a fast first-hours route
- AION 2 release date and launch details — the full dates hub
For more gaming guides, boosts and currency across the games we cover, visit timesaver.gg.
