AION 2 is already out everywhere it is planned to launch. The global version released on 5 October 2026 at 13:00 UTC (6:00 AM PDT, 15:00 CEST) on PC through Steam and PURPLE, after Korea and Taiwan launched on 19 November 2025.
Below is the full timeline by region, what platforms each version runs on, and which countries cannot play the global version.
AION 2 release dates by region
| Region | Release date | Platforms | Launcher |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 19 November 2025, midnight KST | PC, mobile | Separate KR service |
| Taiwan | 19 November 2025 | PC, mobile | Separate TW service |
| North America (East, West) | 5 October 2026, 6:00 AM PDT | Windows PC | Steam, PURPLE |
| Europe | 5 October 2026, 15:00 CEST | Windows PC | Steam, PURPLE |
| Latin America | 5 October 2026, 13:00 UTC | Windows PC | Steam, PURPLE |
| Asia (servers in Japan) | 5 October 2026, 22:00 JST | Windows PC | Steam, PURPLE |
The global release is a different service from Korea and Taiwan. NC's launch FAQ says no progress carries over between the KR/TW version and global.
The global launch timeline
- 21 April 2026: NC announces the global service for 2026, with servers in four regions and eight languages.
- 8 July 2026: NC publishes its "Team Update" on global monetization: free to play, membership, Daeva Pass and cosmetics.
- 22 July 2026: Founder's Packs go on sale in three tiers (Standard, Deluxe, Ultimate), each with five days of early access.
- 25 August 2026: At gamescom Opening Night Live, NC confirms 5 October as launch day.
- 17 to 18 September 2026: Launch Scale Test open to everyone, capped at level 37, fully wiped afterwards.
- 28 September 2026: Pre-download opens.
- 30 September 2026, 13:00 UTC: Advanced Access for Founder's Pack owners. Progress carries into launch.
- 5 October 2026, 13:00 UTC: Free to play launch for everyone.
Missed Advanced Access? Our AION 2 accounts let you start on global servers with progress already made.
How the launch went
NC posted thanks for 300,000 and then 400,000 active players on launch day, and Aju Press reported 400,000 concurrent users on day one. Inven Global reported that AION 2 took the number one spot on Steam's global top sellers chart in more than 10 regions during Advanced Access.
Launch week was busy. NC opened new servers in Europe and NA East, compensated EU players after a cloud provider outage on 8 October, and scheduled the first server transfers for 14 October (CEST). When we checked Steam's public player count API on 10 October, it showed 261,224 players in game on Steam alone, which excludes PURPLE.
Reception is split. Steam's review summary showed "Mixed" on 10 October, with 13,530 positive and 8,653 negative reviews. GamesRadar summarized the negative reviews as criticism of the cash shop and of assets players believe are AI generated.
The Korean service has been live almost a year longer than global, and it is ahead in content. Korea already has a level 50 cap and a ninth class, the Brawler, from the 6 July 2026 Chapter 1 update. Global players can read Korea's patch history as a rough preview of what is coming, though NC has not published a global content roadmap.
Platforms: PC only for global
- Windows PC: Steam and PURPLE, same servers, same content.
- Mobile: Korea and Taiwan only. NC's FAQ says the global version is available on Steam and PURPLE.
- PS5 and Xbox: NC has not announced a console version.
- Steam Deck and Linux: may run, but NC only officially supports Steam and PURPLE on Windows.
- Controller: playable, but NC says it is not officially supported.
Minimum specs on Steam: Windows 10 or 11 64-bit, Ryzen 5 2600 or Core i5-10500, 8 GB RAM, GTX 1050 Ti, DirectX 12 and 100 GB of storage, with an SSD recommended.
Languages and restricted countries
Global supports English, French, German, Spanish (Spain), Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Japanese and Korean for text, with English, Japanese and Korean voice acting.
Some countries are excluded. NC's help center lists China, Vietnam, Cuba, Syria, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Macau, Russia, Belarus, Belgium, the Netherlands, Curacao, Bonaire, Saint Maarten, Aruba, Serbia and Slovakia as places where NC cannot accept payments or allow play. Korea and Taiwan have their own service. NC has not given public reasons for the others.
Southeast Asia has no dedicated region. NC tells PURPLE users in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand to switch PURPLE's region to "Global" to see the game.
Our AION 2 guide hub covers servers, classes and the business model. If you want to skip the launch week grind, see our AION 2 accounts.
Frequently asked questions
When did AION 2 come out in NA and EU?
On 5 October 2026 at 6:00 AM PDT (15:00 CEST). Founder's Pack owners got Advanced Access from 30 September 2026.
Is AION 2 free to play?
Yes. The global version is free to play with optional purchases: a monthly membership, a Daeva Pass with free and premium tracks, cosmetics and consumables.
Is AION 2 on PS5 or mobile globally?
No. The global version is Windows PC only, on Steam and PURPLE. Mobile exists only in Korea and Taiwan, and NC has not announced a console version.
Can I play AION 2 from Southeast Asia?
Yes, except Vietnam, which is restricted. Players in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand connect to global and should set PURPLE's region to Global.
Does Korean AION 2 progress transfer to global?
No. NC states that progress between the TW or KR version and the global version will not carry over.
Ready to jump in with progress already made? METAMMO offers hand-checked AION 2 accounts on global servers, each with a lifetime warranty against recovery.
Sources
- NC: AION 2 launches, Korea and Taiwan (19 Nov 2025)
- Steam: AION 2 announcements, incl. global announcement (21 Apr 2026) and launch time (5 Oct 2026)
- NC: Advanced Access Servers and schedule (29 Sep 2026)
- NC: Launch FAQ (30 Sep 2026)
- NC: Thank you for 400,000 Active Players (5 Oct 2026)
- Massively OP: AION 2 global debut October 5 (25 Aug 2026)
- Inven Global: AION 2 launches globally (5 Oct 2026)
- GamesRadar: Aion 2 soars on Steam despite Mixed reviews (Oct 2026)
- Aju Press: 400,000 concurrent users on day one (6 Oct 2026)
- NC: Chapter 1. Lands of Sand and Snow (6 Jul 2026)
- Steam store page: AION 2 (system requirements, languages)
- NC Help: Restricted countries in AION 2 (30 Sep 2026)
- NC: PURPLE Region Settings (30 Sep 2026)
