Aion 2 is holding a Launch Scale Test on September 17 and 18, 2026, a short server stress test that opens the game to everyone ahead of its global launch on October 5. NC is using it to check server and login stability under heavy load, not to preview endgame content. There is no closed beta before this — the two-day test is the only public window to play before the game goes live.
Quick answer: The Launch Scale Test runs September 17–18, 2026 on Steam and PURPLE. No key, invite, or registration is required — install the free test client, pre-load on September 16, and play up to level 37.
Test begins: September 17, 2026 at 6:00 AM PDT (3:00 PM CEST)
Aion 2 Launch Scale Test schedule and play windows
The test does not run for the full 48 hours. Each day opens for a single six-hour window, giving 12 hours of total play time across the two days. Pre-download begins the day before so you are not waiting on the client when servers open.
| Stage | Pacific (PDT) | Central Europe (CEST) |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-download | Sept 16, 6:00 AM | Sept 16, 3:00 PM |
| Day 1 | Sept 17, 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Sept 17, 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM |
| Day 2 | Sept 18, 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Sept 18, 9:00 PM – 3:00 AM (Sept 19) |
Note the shift between days. Day 1 falls in the morning for Pacific players and afternoon for Europe, while Day 2 moves to afternoon in Pacific and overnight in Europe. Convert carefully from these times for your own region.
How to join the Launch Scale Test
There is nothing to sign up for. The test is open to everyone with no keys, no invitations, and no registration list, and you do not need a Founder’s Pack to take part. You only need the free test client on one of two platforms.
On Steam
On PURPLE
You know access worked when the test client appears in your library with an install or play option available. Set aside roughly 60 GB or more of free space, ideally on an SSD.
Level cap and disabled features
Character progression is capped at level 37, so anything that needs a higher level stays locked. The test focuses on core combat, early-to-mid leveling, and server load rather than the economy or endgame. The following systems are turned off for the duration:
- Marketplace and player-to-player trading
- Quna exchange and all real-money purchases
- Shop, passes, and memberships
- Founder’s Pack items, even if you own a pack
- Closet and cosmetics — default outfits only
With only six hours per day, decide your class and check your framerate early so you are not spending a limited window re-rolling or fixing settings.
Progress reset and moving to launch
Progress you make carries from Day 1 into Day 2, so you can resume the same character with its level and gear on the second day. After Day 2 ends, all progression is wiped. Nothing transfers to Advance Access on September 30 or to the global launch on October 5 — everyone starts fresh at launch. Treat the test as a chance to try a class, learn the controls, and confirm your PC runs the game well, not as a head start.
Steam players must uninstall the Playtest App and download the full Aion 2 client separately to take part in Advance Access on September 30. The test client will not carry forward. PURPLE players do not need to take any extra step, since their client transitions to the full game.
Founder’s Pack owners get five days of early play from September 30 through October 4, and the free-to-play global launch follows on October 5 with servers across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. The Launch Scale Test is the last open window to get hands-on before those dates.
