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The MMO’s paid early access is pulling in more revenue than major AAA releases, and it hasn’t even officially launched yet.
The numbers don’t lie: Aion 2 is a juggernaut in the making.
NCSoft’s long-awaited MMORPG sequel doesn’t officially launch until October 5, but it’s already sitting at the top of Steam’s Global Top Sellers chart — a ranking based on revenue, not player count . The reason? Founder’s Packs.
These paid bundles, which grant five days of early access, range from $24.99 to $99.99 . They’ve generated enough revenue to outsell heavy hitters like EA Sports FC 27, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, and Gears of War: E-Day this week .
And players are showing up in droves. According to SteamDB, Aion 2 hit a peak of 171,530 concurrent players during its first day of paid early access — a staggering figure for a game that technically isn’t even out yet . For context, that’s more players than many fully launched MMOs see at their peak.
A Rough Start, But Strong Momentum
The early access launch wasn’t without issues. NCSoft delayed the servers by an hour, and once they opened, players faced character creation restrictions and login queues . The team responded by opening additional servers and issuing compensation to affected players .
Despite the hiccups, the game currently sits at a “Mostly Positive” rating on Steam, with approximately 76% of reviews recommending it . Praise has centered on the detailed character creator, the return of unrestricted flight, and a combat system that blends tab-targeting with action-oriented mechanics .
The Catch: Monetization Concerns
Not everything is smooth sailing. Players have been quick to warn newcomers about the game’s monetization model — specifically, a monthly subscription that gates access to trading and the auction house . Without it, players are locked out of the player-driven economy entirely.
Worse, the subscription is server-bound, not account-bound . If you switch servers, you’ll need to pay again. For an MMO that prides itself on its living world, putting basic economic interaction behind a recurring paywall is a hard pill for some to swallow.
What’s Next?
The real test comes on October 5, when Aion 2 goes fully free-to-play . That’s when the floodgates truly open — and when the servers will face their biggest stress test yet.
If the paid early access numbers are any indication, the free launch could push concurrent players well beyond that 171,000 peak. NCSoft has already shown it’s willing to add servers on the fly, but whether the infrastructure holds up remains to be seen.
For now, one thing is clear: Aion 2 has arrived, and it’s not being subtle about it.
