This article is a stub
It lacks sufficient information and needs to be expanded. You can help by adding more content.
Chapter 1: Land of Sand and Frost is a major content update for AION 2 that launched on July 1, 2026 on the Korean and Taiwanese build. NCsoft first revealed it at the June 14, 2026 Summer Festa showcase. It is the first of NCsoft's Chapter-style updates, which group content into a single named release rather than a numbered season. The update has not yet reached the September 2026 global build, and NCsoft has not stated which parts arrive at global launch, so the content described here reflects the current Korean and Taiwanese live build.
What the Update Adds
The Chapter 1 update added a new playable class, two new territories, a raised level cap, new PvE and PvP modes, and new growth systems. The headline additions are below.
Addition | What It Is |
|---|---|
Ninth Class | A new class, the Kwon-seong (Korean 권성). It fights with a gauntlet-style fist weapon and specializes in frontal attacks and dashing combo-charges, building a Rage meter that detonates into a Berserk state. English coverage has rendered the name as Vandal, Brawler, Fistmaster, and Soul Fighter, and NCsoft has not confirmed a single official English name. See Classes for the roster overview. |
Level Cap 50 | The maximum character level rose to 50, and the Stigma skill enhancement cap rose to level 25. |
Eltnen | A new Elyos territory with new stories and quests. See World and Regions. |
Morheim | A new Asmodian territory with new stories and quests. |
Growth Systems | New Sealed Dungeons, Garrisons, and Monoliths added as sources of growth rewards and enhancement materials. |
New Dungeons | A level-50 Expedition dungeon (Corrupted Deva's Castle) and a Transcendence dungeon (Abyssal Horn Cave), both gated at item level 3,500 and up. See Dungeons. |
Occupation Battle | A stat-equalized battleground where combat power, stats, and skills are normalized for all participants. See PvP and the Abyss. |
Surface of Chaotic Ereshkigal | A new contested Abyss field added with the update, with restricted item levels and no bosses or artifacts. |
New Endgame Zones and Modes
The Chapter 1 endgame is built around the new level-50 content. Party size for the new group dungeons expanded to five players, and the new instances pay out rewards through an Od Energy resource rather than consumable entry tickets. English names for the new zones and dungeons vary across coverage of the Korean build, so treat the renderings here as provisional and defer to the in-game UI once the global client settles them.
Teased for Later
The June 14 Summer Festa showcase also previewed horizontal "AION2 THE NEXT" systems that were not part of the July 1 update and have no firm date: sailing, fishing, and housing. A battle-royale mode reported to support around 100 players, called Outland, and an additional Sanctuary described as arriving mid-to-late Chapter 1 were previewed the same way. None of these shipped on July 1, so treat them as roadmap content until an official patch dates them.
Naming Note
NCsoft's Korean live service brands this release as Chapter 1 rather than a numbered season. The update lands around the game's six-month anniversary on the Korean and Taiwanese build, which is why some early framing referred to an anniversary season; the shipped name is the Chapter 1 update.
A class balance patch originally planned for the June 24, 2026 maintenance was moved to July 1 so it landed alongside this update, partly to avoid disrupting the ranking challenge that was running on the live build at the time.