“The Number One Thing That Was Most Important Is Staying True To The Aion Franchise”: A VGTimes Interview with Aion 2 Creators at gamescom 2026

At gamescom 2026, the editors of VGTimes managed to talk with developers from the Korean studio NCsoft, who are preparing for the global release of Aion 2, the sequel to the famous open-world MMORPG AION 2008. In South Korea, the sequel was released in November 2025, and on the eve of the game's release to the world market, developers came to the world's largest gaming exhibition to show the press the gameplay of the game and answer questions.

The game takes place 200 years after the events of the first part. The continent of Atreya has changed a lot: the most valuable resource Ether has become scarce, and the destruction of the Tower of Iona has intensified the struggle between the factions of the Elians and Asmodians.

During a 20-minute closed gameplay presentation, the creators of Aion 2 talked about key mechanics (in particular, flying and pet taming), showed character customization, group boss battles and PvE content.

NCSoft: One of the main mechanics of our game is free flight on wings. You'll be able to reach almost anything you see on the horizon or in the sky. You can explore the world by land or water, but we recommend flying, because it's now an integral part of Aion 2.

Flying helps not only to move around the vast world but also to collect resources. By obtaining new wings as you explore the world, you increase your stamina, meaning you'll be able to soar and fly for longer. You'll even have to descend into dangerous dungeons to get some wings. In boss battles, wings help you dodge attacks.

In our game, wings are also a source of pride for the player, a kind of status symbol. We also have purely cosmetic wings: they don't provide any advantages, they just look nice.

NCSoft: We will have eight classes at the start. The Gladiator specializes in powerful melee attacks. The Templar is a classic "tank" fighting on the front line.

The Assassin is a stealthy fighter with daggers. The Ranger fights from a distance using a bow and also sets traps on the battlefield. The Wizard commands the forces of ice and water. The Spirit Master calls upon elemental spirits to aid in battle. The Cleric can resurrect the fallen, which is very important in some battles. The Sorcerer combines damage and support, but cannot resurrect.

NCSoft: You have more than 200 ways to customize your character: from body type and facial features to the smallest details, such as the shape of the eyebrows or even the size of the pupils. We also have a wide variety of hairstyles and an extensive wardrobe.

You can wear a full set of armor if you want all the elements to match each other, or you can choose something from different sets and create your own look. You can customize all clothing items. Outfits can be purchased in the in‑game store, but many of them are unlocked as you complete tasks or explore the world. This also applies to weapon skins. We have some truly awesome skins that add a touch of fantasy or cuteness to the character — whatever you prefer.

NCSoft: You can collect more than 200 pets; moreover, you can turn all the mobs you encounter in the game into pets after defeating them. Their main purpose is to transport you around the world as mounts. You can use pets to move through dungeons and fly in the sky. Each of them has its own unique animation. In the store, you can also find some unusual mounts: for example, a dog‑shaped balloon that squeaks when it walks, just like a real balloon.

In the sky, you don't need to control the mount — it flies on its own. You can enjoy the views, chat with friends, take screenshots, scroll through your phone feed — in short, take a short break. Or use this time to plan your strategy for the next dungeon.

NCSoft: PvE content includes, in particular, completing dungeons. There you will fight a boss one‑on‑one, as if competing with yourself. This is a great training mode that will help you get to grips with your chosen class, get used to the game, and prepare for larger PvE dungeons.

All rewards you receive for completing solo content will be taken into account when leveling up your character. We really wanted the progression system to match your playstyle, regardless of how you prefer to play. After all, you might not want to play in a group all the time; you might just want to take a short trip into a solo dungeon.

NCSoft: Up to five people can participate in group expeditions to dungeons. Each dungeon is unique; we really wanted to convey the sense of exploration and discovery that comes with getting to know a new world.

You can assemble a balanced group consisting of "damage dealers," "supports," and a "tank," or you can take only "damage dealers" or only healers — whatever you prefer. However, one thing you can't do without is the ability to work together. Dungeons are a great way to test how well you can work as a team, as well as your reflexes, because you need to act very quickly.

If you want to make things difficult for yourself and have fun in the company, we have a Sanctuary mode — raids in two groups of five players. You fight a mini-boss, and after defeating it, you split into two groups and go your separate ways until you reach the final boss. This mode is a true test of your ability to work together and is the most challenging PvE content in Aion 2.

NCSoft: The game features a mechanic we call the "chessboard." In a boss fight, you need to figure out which of the tiles on the floor is a safe zone. To determine this, squad members should disperse, wait for the boss to attack, and if a tile turns red, it means it's unsafe. If a tile turns blue, it means it's a safe zone, and the entire squad should gather there. Now you can deal damage to the boss.

VGTimes: How long have you been working on the game?

NCSoft: Aion 2 was developed over about seven years by a large team at NCSoft. Last year, the game was released in the Korean market, and now we are preparing for a global release.

VGTimes: What is the key difference between the Asian market and the European market when publishing such games? Is this a completely different job, or is the process the same?

NCSoft: 10 years ago, opinions about what types of gameplay appeal to people from different cultures varied greatly. But now, the global audience is much better informed about what's happening in the world thanks to social media, and in general, everyone can see how others play. On a global scale, we are increasingly approaching a certain common level, and the nuances of preferences — PvE or PvP — are now more characteristic of individual countries rather than Europe as a whole.

VGTimes: Will you be adapting the game in any way for the European market? Or will it be the same game as in Korea?

NCSoft: The most important thing for us is to stay true to the Aion franchise. We don't want to make any changes to the game to adapt it for the global market. The changes that will be made in the global version of the game, we will also make in the Korean version. We try to make the builds as similar as possible.

VGTimes: What about localization?

NCSoft: We'll have English, French, German, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese. That's the full set of languages. In addition, we'll have voice acting in Korean, Japanese, and English.

The developers emphasized: Aion 2 fully embodies what they originally wanted the first part to be. But in 2008, the technology hadn't yet reached the necessary level, whereas now they can fully realize their vision. So, for them, Aion 2 is a kind of quintessence of a dream brought to life.

The global release will take place on October 5, 2026, and large‑scale testing will be conducted on September 17 and 18.

What do you think about Aion 2? Share your opinion about the game in the comments.

Article by Evgenia Zavyalova & Rodion Ilin.

VGTimes has been operating since 2011 and over that time has attended dozens of exhibitions and festivals, where our journalists have gathered a wealth of exclusive material. For example, in 2019 we attended a closed showing of Cyberpunk 2077 at gamescom, in 2017 we prepared a photo report from WG Fest, in 2020 we were at the largest gaming event in Central Asia — CAGS, and we have visited IgroMir several times, where we met Hideo Kojima and other famous developers. In 2024 we traveled to the Land of the Rising Sun for TGS 2024, where we were amazed by the scale of the Tokyo event. In 2025 we witnessed one of Asia's premier gaming exhibitions — ChinaJoy in Shanghai. We also made it to the Thai edition of gamescom 2025 in Bangkok, and at the start of this year attended CES 2026 in Las Vegas and later Computex 2026 in Taipei.