Aion 2 hits 170K concurrent on Steam after Sept 30 early access

Revenue numbers landed fast: Aion 2 reached No.1 on Steam’s global revenue chart during the early access period, despite the full free launch being five days away. Steam wishlists had already passed 1.3 million before early access began, and Twitch peak viewership climbed above 250,000 viewers. SteamDB and other tracker snapshots are being cited for the concurrent player figures and chart positions, which together map the game’s initial traffic profile across platforms.

Player feedback and review metrics are mixed but lean positive at this early stage. On Steam, Aion 2 has around 3,000 reviews with a 76.2% “Mostly Positive” rating while the in-game cash shop and economy are live during the paid early access period. NCSoft released Aion 2 after a year-long live run in Korea and Taiwan, and servers appear generally stable under heavy load: some extended maintenance and tutorial-area disconnects occurred, yet many reports point to solid resource optimization even when large crowds congregate in one zone.

Design and content details that readers asked about are concrete. The world is roughly 36 times larger than the original Aion’s, with a flight system integrated into exploration and combat rather than a cosmetic gimmick. Combat mixes ground and air engagements with a faster, more action-oriented approach that borrows modern targeting ideas. Eight classes are available — Protector, Blade, Slayer, Archer, Mage, Spirit, Healer, and Guardian — preserving the original IP’s class identities while offering clear role definitions for newcomers. The game includes a collectible pet system tied to field monster drops, over 1,100 achievements, multiple mini-games, a variety of PvE raids and PvP events, and a multi-currency economy that players interact with through auctions and exchanges.

The business model and some legacy design choices have become talking points in Western coverage. The Founders Pack bundles five days of early access plus a 30-day “Kwayling Premium Membership” equivalent to a $15 monthly value (about 20,000 KRW). That membership grants access to a Kuna exchange that converts in-game currency Kina into premium currency Kuna, a feature German outlet MeinMMO flagged as a potential pay-to-win (P2W) concern for Western players. Criticisms from Western outlets also highlight UI and menu structures, camera behavior, and an automated pathing feel that carry traces of mobile-centric design. Some reviewers note low challenge in the earliest boss encounters and a narrative that feels shallow at launch, while others praise the breadth of activities and content depth unlocked even in early access.

Comparisons to NCSoft’s 2024 release Throne and Liberty (TL) are already underway. Aion 2’s current early access concurrent peak exceeds TL’s early numbers by roughly three times according to SteamDB-derived tallies, and analysts quoted in coverage propose that a conservative post-free-to-play conversion could push Aion 2 into the 300,000 concurrent range or higher. That projection rests on the documented early access peaks, the October 5 free launch date, and the game’s existing wishlist and streaming metrics. If October 5 brings the expected influx, Western reactions to the monetization and UI choices will be the clearest signals of how sustainable the early surge becomes.