Aion 2 opened to players today on Steam and on NCsoft's own Purple launcher, though only to those who bought a founder's pack. The head start the packs carry is a pre-order bonus, and it runs ahead of the global launch on October 5, when the game opens to everyone.
The opening ends the launch-scale testing period that preceded it, and the head start unlocks the features that test withheld. Transmog is available, PvE and PvP play is open across all levels, and both the cash shop cosmetics and the in-game economy are accessible.
The packs come with limits. They did not include subscription time, so that is not part of what founder's pack buyers have paid for. Head start players are also on servers of their own rather than on the launch servers, and cross-play queues between the two will not be available until the game goes live for everyone on October 5.
NCsoft has posted a launch FAQ alongside the opening, covering the basics of the game for players new to the series. It addresses the game's monetisation, cross-play between Steam and Purple users, and the regions in which Aion 2 is available. Oceania is not among those regions. The publisher also released a launch trailer to mark the head start.
