AION 2 Release Date — Global Launch & Advanced Access Timeline

AION 2 launches today — October 5, 2026. Advanced Access (September 30 – October 4) has wrapped for Founder's Pack owners, and the free-to-play global launch opens to everyone today on Steam and PURPLE after the 8-hour maintenance window. This page is the official timeline, updated through the launch window.

Quick answer

Quick answer: Launch day — October 5, 2026. After 8 hours of maintenance (Oct 4, 22:00 PDT), the global version opens free to play for everyone on Steam + PURPLE. Advanced Access (Sept 30 – Oct 4) has ended; its progress carries into launch. Full timeline below.

The full official timeline

Why the server test matters for launch week

The Launch Scale Test was not a closed beta with keys — NC opened it to everyone on Steam and PURPLE, capped characters at level 37, and wiped everything at the end of Day 2. The official post spelled out the point: build a production-identical environment and stress servers and infrastructure before launch. Nothing transfers to Advanced Access or launch, so nobody starts the real game with a head start.

If you searched for an "AION 2 closed beta" you were likely reading older coverage — the official name is Launch Scale Test, it required no registration, and it is now over. The next door that opens is Founder's Pack Advanced Access on September 30, followed by the global launch on October 5.

Regional timing on launch day

AION 2 Global launches simultaneously across North America, South America, Europe and Japan — the official FAQ lists confirmed server locations in those four regions, with eight supported languages. There is no staggered rollout by country to track: October 5 is one date worldwide for the global version. Exact hour-by-hour unlock times had not been published at our snapshot date (to be verified) — we will pin them here the moment NC posts them.

For what changes between the Korean, Taiwanese and global services, see our AION 2 version comparison; for how to get the client, see the download guide.

What to do while you wait

For launch-week and patch updates as they land, follow the AION 2 news section.

• Secure your name and rewards through the pre-register guide — official channels only.
• New to the game entirely? Start with the beginner guide, pick your main with the all-classes hub, or let the interactive class finder decide.
• Check the system requirements page so launch day is a download, not a hardware surprise.

Launch-day maintenance (official)

The official maintenance post pins the commercial-launch transition: 8 hours of downtime from October 4, 22:00 PDT (October 5, 07:00 CEST) — login unavailable during the window. The maintenance moves the game from Advanced Access to commercial launch and includes quality-of-life changes: character deletion waiting drops from 168 hours to 24 hours, and the minimum level for deletion drops from 10 to 1.

FAQ

Is the release date different for Steam and PURPLE? No — both PC platforms get Advanced Access on September 30 and global launch on October 5, per NC's announcement.

Does Launch Scale Test progress carry over? No. The official post is explicit: all progression is wiped at the end of Day 2 and nothing transfers to Advanced Access or launch.

What time does AION 2 unlock on October 5? (to be verified) — NC had not published hourly unlock times at our 2026-09-18 snapshot; this page updates the moment they are official.