NCSoftrecently held a closed-doorFocus Group Test forAion 2, and while most of the content is stillNDA-bound, several participants shared early impressions that give us a decent picture of what the studio is cooking. And make no mistake—this is shaping up to be a massive cross-platformMMORPGwith serious ambitions. But as always withNCSoft, we’re left juggling two feelings: genuine hype and cautious skepticism.
Monetization and Pay-to-Win Concerns
Let’s address the elephant in the room first: monetization. Based on tester reports,Aion 2leans heavily on cosmetics for its revenue model—outfits, mounts, and yes, wings.
Wings, a core identity piece from the originalAion, are back and, thankfully, craftable through gameplay. They’re not locked behind paywalls, and while their variations offer slight differences (like flight duration or minor passives), nothing screams"pay-to-win"—yet.
Mounts follow a similar pattern. Some are tied to premium currency, others are earnable in-game. The important part: stat gaps are virtually non-existent. Sounds good on paper.
But then come the cracks. Instant resurrection items, usable even inside PvP zones and dungeons, were available for purchase using premium diamonds—and without limit.
Dungeon runs, too, are time-gated through an“Action Point”system, which, you guessed it, can be refreshed by spending. It’s that old “Pay for Convenience” model creeping back in, and while it may not be full-blownpay-to-win, it’s enough to set off alarms.
Especially when we’re talking about a game NCSoft reportedly expects to generate two trillion KRW in 2026 (though that figure covers the whole Aion IP, not justAion 2).
Loot boxes? Reportedly minimized—but not gone. The tester noted that gacha mechanics were “reduced as much as possible.” So, there’s that.
Character Creator: A Clear Win
Let’s shift to something undeniably positive:Aion 2’s character creator. Described by testers as one of the best in the genre, it’s packed with options, detail, and polish.
According to testers, that same level of care unfortunately doesn’t extend to the actual cash shop costumes, which felt “visually underwhelming” by comparison. It’s an odd mismatch for a game that plans to rely so heavily on cosmetic monetization. Hopefully, that gets addressed before launch.
Combat & Controls: Choose Your Style
Combat inAion 2is a hybrid of tab-target and action-based gameplay. You get two camera modes:
You’re free to switch between them, and testers confirmed the mode matters—especially in PvP. Action Mode looks cool, but in RvR scenarios where situational awareness is king, most will likely default to Classic.
Skillsare tied to a point-allocation system, allowing you to strengthen abilities in tiers. There are eight base slots—four regular, four stigma—plus chained attacks and a dodge mechanic. All in all, it sounds like a surprisingly hands-on system for a game also launching on mobile.
Dungeons, Loot, and the Holy Trinity
PvE is front and center in this test. Dungeons come in 4-player formats (with 8-player ones existing later), and yes—the Holy Trinity is back. Tanks, DPS, and especially healers are essential for progressing through content. Gear is dropped both in dungeons and world events, and can be enhanced via socketing and stat-altering gems.
Here’s the kicker: enhancement stones drop often, but the amount needed scalesaggressively. Even early-stage upgrades require significant quantities, opening the door for premium currency shortcuts.
Item trading is possible via a marketplace, but equipped items become bound. One worrying point: players who pay to reset dungeon limits can farm extra loot and resell it for profit, essentially turning money into gear power. That’s a subtle form of pay-to-win, even if indirect.
RvR and the World Design
Aion 2’s large-scale PvP takes inspiration fromThrone and Liberty and even Blade & Soul.
Players can cross into enemy zones, with central bosses spawning for both factions to contest. While PvP wasn’t the highlight of this particular test, testers did confirm that time-gated events and open-world objectives will play a big part in endgame progression.
Flying, a signature of the Aion universe, is available in all zones—a huge plus for exploration. Auto-pathing is included as a quality-of-life feature (not unexpected given the mobile angle).
Technical Performance
The Focus Group Testwas run on high-end PCs (RTX 5070s), but the game is reportedly being optimized for RTX 2070-level hardware.
Performance was stable throughout the test, which bodes well for launch readiness.
There’s also a large"Talent Tree"resembling a Go board, offering long-term progression for grinders. 1:1 player trading is confirmed as well.
Final Thoughts: A Double-Edged Sword
Aion 2is shaping up to be one of the more promisingMMORPGsin development right now. It feels like a mashup ofAion 1’ssoul,Throne and Liberty’s systems, and a modernized mobile-first UI. The character creator is top-tier. The combat system is flexible. And theRvRsetup looks like it has teeth.
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But it’s hard to ignore the monetization red flags. From dungeon resurrections to extra entries and tradable loot, the risk of “pay-to-progress” is very real. It’s not full-onThrone and Liberty… but it’s not far off either.
Lastly, the staggered release is frustrating. Korea gets the game in late 2025, while Western players have to wait until mid-2026. In a globalized MMO market, that kind of delay can kill momentum before it even starts.
