The AION 2 Launch Scale Test is over, and the first measurable Steam signals are now available.
Post-test reporting based on SteamDB data puts the AION 2 Playtest all-time Steam peak at about 73,761 concurrent players. The second test window reportedly reached roughly 73,739, almost matching the first session despite every character being scheduled for deletion after the test.
Those figures only represent Steam. Players who joined through NC’s PURPLE launcher are not included, and NC has not published a combined concurrency total.
Day-two turnout stayed almost level
Each Launch Scale Test window lasted only six hours. Progress carried from the first session into the second, but nothing transfers to Advanced Access or the live service.
Against that backdrop, the nearly identical day-one and day-two peaks are more interesting than the headline record by itself. They suggest that a large share of the Steam audience returned for another session instead of treating the test as a one-login curiosity.
That does not tell us what retention will look like after the October 5 launch, but it is a useful early indicator of global PC interest.
Steam sentiment improved after a rough start
Early SteamDB snapshots showed the Playtest below 50% positive. By September 20, post-test coverage was reporting the Steam Playtest at roughly 69% positive.
That percentage should be treated as a snapshot rather than a permanent score. Playtest reviews can continue to move, and this was not the full launch build.
Still, the direction is notable: sentiment improved as the test progressed instead of remaining at its initial low point.
What players liked and disliked
The most repeated criticism centered on the opening experience rather than server access alone. Players frequently pointed to:
- a UI that some felt retained mobile-style design cues;
- auto-navigation and automatic consumable behavior;
- an overly easy early-game combat curve;
- a heavily guided questing structure.
More positive impressions tended to focus on combat feel, visuals, world scale and the way the game opens up after the earliest levels.
That split helps explain why AION 2’s first global Steam response landed in mixed territory instead of producing a clear consensus.
The test did not include the full economy or monetization layer
The Launch Scale Test disabled the Shop, Quna purchases, passes, Membership, the Market and other payment-related systems. The level cap was also limited to 37.
As a result, the current Steam reception mostly reflects the client, early progression, combat, presentation and quest flow. It does not fully measure the live economy, Membership value or long-term endgame progression.
The more meaningful second wave of feedback will arrive once Founder’s Pack Advanced Access begins on September 30 and the permanent global servers open to everyone on October 5.
Sources
- SteamDB — AION 2 Playtest data https://steamdb.info/app/4972320/
- MMOHuts — AION 2 Playtest Ends With Mixed Steam Reviews and a 73,761 Player Peak https://mmohuts.com/news/aion-2-playtest-ends-with-mixed-steam-reviews-and-a-73761-player-peak
- AION 2 Steam official news — Launch Scale Test rules and closing notice https://steamcommunity.com/app/3393110/allnews/