AION 2 reached No. 1 on Steam’s global Top Sellers chart by revenue after paid early access began on September 30, but its first wave of player reviews has been rough. At the latest review tally, 61% of reviews were negative, with players complaining about long queues, full servers, and trouble getting into the game. The ranking placed AION 2 ahead of Counter-Strike 2, Ace Combat 8, and EA Sports FC 27, with current sales driven by Founder’s Pack purchases before the free launch.
Early access was scheduled to start at 13:00 UTC, then moved to 13:30 UTC and again to 14:00 UTC as connection problems continued. NC brought the game online after addressing the issues. Founder’s Packs start at $24.99 or £18.49, with higher-priced bundles reaching $99.99, and they include five days of advance access. The bundles also offer extra titles, cosmetic skins, consumable supplies, and 30 days of Special Quai Membership. A later player-count snapshot put AION 2 at 171,180 players.
AION 2 has been available in South Korea for almost a year. NC America is preparing its global PC launch for October 5, 2026, when the MMORPG will be free to play. Players who could not enter at the advertised early access time left some of the negative reviews, while others described waiting for hours in queues or finding full servers. The game’s Steam reviews also include criticism of its monetization.
NC says Special Quai Membership will be the only subscription offered to global players, with a regular price of $15 per month. Membership includes access to the player auction house and the ability to exchange free Kina for premium Quna. A recurring battle pass will offer free and paid reward tracks. Founder’s Pack rewards apply to a single character, which limits their value for players planning to use alternate characters. The Steam listing also discloses that AI tools assisted with some in-game assets. One reviewer alleged that the game relied on AI-generated content, while separately criticizing its monetization.
AION 2 is a sequel to the 2008 MMORPG. NC says its world is 36 times larger than the original, with flight central to exploration and combat that combines ground fights with aerial battles. Its eight launch classes are Templar, Gladiator, Assassin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Spiritmaster, Cleric, and Chanter, covering frontline, damage-dealing, spellcasting, and healing roles.
NC America co-CEO Merv Lee Kwai welcomed AION 2’s Steam ranking but said it was only one measure of success. He pointed to steady content and player trust as longer-term priorities.
How much will the early access server queues and the single-character Founder’s Pack restriction affect your view of AION 2’s October 5 launch? Follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
