NCSOFT brought its upcoming MMORPGs Aion 2 and Aion Classic to China for the first time at ChinaJoy 2026, the international games expo that opened in Shanghai on July 31. Their Chinese service names are Aion 2 (永恒之塔2) and Aion Classic (永恒之塔·经典). One day earlier, on July 30, NCSOFT signed a strategic partnership with Chinese publisher Shengqu Games to bring Aion 2 to the mainland market.
- ▶Sources: Gamemeca EN (2026-07) · Newsis (2026-07-31) · TheElec (2026-07-31) · BetaNews (2026-07-31)
At a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stage | ChinaJoy 2026 (Shanghai, opened July 31) |
| Titles shown | Aion 2 · Aion Classic |
| Chinese names | 永恒之塔2 · 永恒之塔·经典 |
| China publisher | Shengqu Games (deal signed July 30) |
| Aion Classic | Closed beta test in China planned for August |
| Aion 2 global | Global PC launch (Steam, PURPLE) targeted for September 2026, free-to-play |
The Expo's Largest Single-Title Booth
The Aion 2 booth, staged jointly with partner Shengqu Games, was the largest for any single game at this year's expo. Visitors could play the showcase dungeon Fire Temple at PC demo stations, watch trailers on a dome screen, and take part in photo zones and merchandise-making areas — a heavy investment in on-site experience.
Aion 2 leans on aerial combat as its core identity. At the ChinaJoy booth, trailers played across a large dome screen.
The booth's scale reads less as marketing bravado than as a statement of intent: to reassert the Aion IP's presence in China's crowded MMORPG market. Notably, a Chinese publishing license (banhao) and a firm commercial launch date were not confirmed at the event.
A 17-Year Partnership With Shengqu
The linchpin of the deal is publisher Shengqu Games. NCSOFT and Shengqu have worked together since launching the original Aion in China in 2009 — a 17-year relationship. The first Aion drew massive concurrent player counts and established itself in the local market, and NCSOFT now aims to carry that brand recognition and player base into Aion 2 and Aion Classic.
| Title | Chinese name | Nature | China status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aion 2 | 永恒之塔2 | New open-world MMORPG | Publishing deal signed with Shengqu |
| Aion Classic | 永恒之塔·经典 | Classic server based on original Aion | Closed beta planned for August |
Aion Classic is a classic-server product aimed at nostalgia for the original Aion, run as a separate track from the new Aion 2. Fielding a fresh title and a legacy revival simultaneously lets NCSOFT target distinct audiences at once.
Kim Taek-jin's Message
NCSOFT founder and CEO Kim Taek-jin framed the China push around a pledge to "make a game that will be remembered for a long time." The remark signals an intent to run Aion 2 as a long-term service rather than a short revenue spike — an echo of the longevity the original Aion achieved in China.
After several years of pressure over new-release performance and earnings, NCSOFT's re-entry into China with the Aion IP is also being watched as a potential lever for a broader financial rebound. That said, China's licensing policy and fierce local competition remain variables, and real results will only become clear after commercial launch.
How It Fits Aion 2's Global Timeline
Aion 2 previously premiered a global launch trailer at Summer Game Fest in June 2026, signaling a September 2026 global PC release on Steam and the PURPLE launcher, free-to-play. The ChinaJoy showing is a separate effort to shore up the China track ahead of that global rollout.
| Market | Platform | Timing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global | PC (Steam, PURPLE) | September 2026 (planned) | Free-to-play |
| China | PC | TBD (licensing) | Published by Shengqu Games |
Splitting global and China operations is standard practice for large Korean MMORPGs going overseas. Because China runs on a separate publisher, separate servers, and a separate schedule, readers should treat the September global date and the China timeline as decoupled.
Community and Market Reaction
Across communities, the central question is whether Aion 2 can replicate the original's China success. The aerial-combat hook and the buzz from the oversized booth are seen as positives, while caution persists around licensing, monetization, and server stability.
With fatigue toward free-to-play MMORPG monetization already high among many players, how Aion 2 designs its spending systems — in both global and Chinese builds — is flagged as a decisive long-term variable. The content and monetization details revealed before the September global launch will be the next inflection point.
GamePeak's Take
| Key point | Summary |
|---|---|
| Stage | ChinaJoy 2026, Shanghai (opened July 31) |
| Titles | Aion 2 (永恒之塔2) · Aion Classic (永恒之塔·经典) |
| Publisher | Shengqu Games — strategic deal signed July 30 |
| Booth | Largest single-title booth, Fire Temple demo |
| Partnership | 17 years, since the original Aion in 2009 |
| Global timeline | Aion 2 global PC (Steam, PURPLE) in September, F2P |
NCSOFT placed a new title and a legacy revival in China at once, courting both fresh and nostalgic demand. It secured early booth buzz — but the real variables, licensing and monetization design, will only be tested once the game goes live.
This article was compiled by cross-checking Gamemeca's English edition with Korean reporting from Newsis, TheElec, and BetaNews. The China commercial launch date and license approval remain unconfirmed and subject to change pending official announcements.