Aion 2, the sequel to a true MMORPG classic, has launched on Steam and immediately shot to the top of the best-seller list.
Since September 30, 2026, pre-order customers have been able to set off for Atreia in Aion 2 via “Advance Access,” five days before the official Free2Play launch on October 5.
Three different Founder’s Packs ranging from 25 to 100 euros catapulted NCsoft’s title to the top of the Steam sales charts worldwide and in 13 countries, including Germany and the U.S., within just a few hours.
On the servers themselves, however, the euphoria among many players quickly gave way to disillusionment. In the user reviews on Steam, the rating currently stands at merely “mixed.” What is the new MMO doing right, and where does it fall short?
What Excites Players
Visually, Aion 2 delivers what many had hoped for from a modern PC MMO in 2026: The game world is based on Unreal Engine 5 and, according to the developers, is about 36 times larger than in its predecessor. Both on Steam and within the MMO community on Reddit, players are praising the atmospheric design of Elysea and Asmodae, as well as the distinctive wing and gliding mechanics. Flying is an integral part of exploration and vertical combat in Aion 2.
The combat system is also receiving surprisingly positive feedback in early reports: NCsoft lets you choose between classic tab-targeting and a more direct action-combat mode. Skills flow seamlessly into one another, combos feel powerful, and dodging requires good timing.
In addition, the first dungeons and boss mechanics are receiving a lot of positive feedback. For fans of classic group PvE, the core gameplay framework seems to be just right.
Server Frustration and Auction House Paywall
There are several reasons why the Steam reviews are still mixed for several reasons: When Early Access launched on September 30, the developers had to postpone the server opening twice, each time by 30 minutes, followed by long queues and login issues. These are almost to be expected with an MMO launch.
The far bigger point of contention, however, is the payment model: Although Aion 2 is launching as a standard Free2Play title, it uses a mechanism that many players refer to as a “soft paywall”:
- The auction house is tied to an optional membership costing around 13 euros per month. Without this subscription, you can neither trade with other players nor use the market. Players who play completely for free effectively end up in a forced “Solo Self-Found” mode.
- Currency purchased through the cash shop can be legally exchanged for the in-game currency, Kinah, in the Auction House. Players with deep pockets can thus stock up directly on valuable crafting materials and top-tier gear. This is reminiscent of the “Pay2Win” debate in WoW, where you can buy tokens with real money in the shop and sell them for in-game gold in the Auction House.
- Since Aion 2 relies heavily on vertical character progression and high-end PvP devours expensive consumables like buff scrolls and potions, many players fear a massive imbalance.
In any case, Aion 2 is already proving that the appetite for a classic, visually modern massive MMO in the West remains huge. Whether NCsoft can sustain this rush beyond the regular Free-to-Play launch on October 5, however, will depend on just how strongly the “Pay-to-Win” spiral actually takes hold in the endgame.
Have you picked up one of the Founder’s Packs and already taken off, or would you rather wait patiently for the Free2Play launch on Monday? And what do you think of the auction house restrictions? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
