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Launch Scale Test
September 14, 2026 at 01:08 AM
Updated internal link states after new pages were added (2026-09-12)
The Launch Scale Test, abbreviated LST in NCsoft's own notices, is a free stress test of the global AION 2 build held on September 17 and 18, 2026. It is the last public test before advance access opens on September 30, and the first time the global client is open to players who have not bought anything.
Its purpose is server scale rather than content preview. NCsoft describes it as preparing the service for launch, and the restrictions below follow from that: the economy, the shop and the cosmetic systems are all switched off so the test measures load rather than commerce.
Times below are the ones NCsoft published for the two regional clocks it used in the announcement.
Phase | Date | Window |
|---|---|---|
Pre-download | September 16 | 6:00 AM September 16 to 6:00 AM September 17 PDT, or 15:00 September 16 to 15:00 September 17 CEST |
Day 1 | September 17 | 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM PDT, or 15:00 to 21:00 CEST |
Day 2 | September 18 | 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM PDT, or 21:00 September 18 to 03:00 September 19 CEST |
Each day runs six hours, for twelve hours of play in total. The Japanese service published the same two days against its own clock: pre-download from 22:00 on September 16, Day 1 from 22:00 on September 17 to 04:00 on September 18, and Day 2 from 04:00 to 10:00 on September 19 local time.
Item | Detail |
|---|---|
Platforms | Steam and PURPLE |
Access | Open to everyone. No keys, no invites and no registration list. |
Cost | Free |
Client | A separate playtest application on Steam, distinct from the main game listing |
The test build is deliberately cut down. The restrictions NCsoft listed are:
No purchases of any kind. The shop, Quna, passes, memberships and every payment route are turned off.
The Market, the Quna exchange and player-to-player trading are disabled.
Founder's Pack items are not available during the test.
The Closet is disabled, so every character wears default outfits.
Maximum character level is capped at 37, which also gates any content that requires a higher level.
That level cap is specific to this test and is well below the live cap. See Gear and Progression for the real progression ceiling.
Progress carries from Day 1 to Day 2, so a character built on the first day is still there on the second. Everything is wiped at the end of Day 2. Nothing transfers to advance access and nothing transfers to launch, including levels, gear, currency and characters.
Platform | What You Have to Do |
|---|---|
Steam | Uninstall the playtest application and download AION 2 separately for advance access on September 30. |
PURPLE | Nothing. No further steps are needed. |
The global build's public testing history is short. Before the Launch Scale Test, the closest thing to hands-on access for players outside Korea and Taiwan was a closed-door press and creator demo run alongside Summer Game Fest in June 2026, which was not open to the public. The Korean and Taiwanese service has been live since November 19, 2025, so that build has no test phase left to run; it is the shipped game. Treat anything observed in a test build, including this one, as a snapshot rather than as the launch build.
Global Launch and Platforms covers the launch calendar and server structure. System Requirements covers the hardware you need to install it. Servers and Regions explains how the two server waves work.
