Official News

AION 2 Publishes Official Global Business Model & Monetization Plan

NC posted a nine-section 'Team Update' notice directly to the official AION 2 notice board on July 8, 2026, laying out the confirmed Western economy: free to play, Kina/Quna currencies, a player-driven Market and Exchange gated behind a $15/month Membership, a cosmetics-leaning shop, per-character Battle Passes, and Founder's Packs with a 5-day head start.

Last updated: July 10, 2026

What NC posted

On July 8, 2026 at 16:00 UTC, the AION 2 team published a "Team Update" notice titled "Business Model — Our Approach" directly to the official notice board at aion2.plaync.com. NC frames it as a transparency move ahead of the September 2026 global launch: "it's important to us that you understand exactly how the game's economy and business model will work before you step foot in Atreia," while noting "some areas may change as our preparation for launch continues." The notice walks through nine numbered sections — Free to Play, Currency, The Market, the Kina↔Quna Exchange, Membership, the In-Game Shop, Battle Pass, Founder's Packs, and a closing "Looking Ahead" note.

Free to play, currencies, and the player-driven Market

AION 2 is confirmed free to play with no purchase required — "how you invest is entirely up to you." There are two currencies: Kina, the Market's currency, earned through gameplay; and Quna, the premium currency, which buys shop items, unlocks the Battle Pass, and can also be used to acquire Kina via the Exchange.

The Market is described as "the center of AION 2's player-driven economy" — players buy and sell items using Kina, with prices set by players themselves. The Kina↔Quna Exchange works the same way: one player lists Kina for sale, another spends Quna to buy it, entirely between players ("the game makes no listings or purchases"). NC states plainly, twice, that an active Membership is required to trade on both the Market and the Exchange.

Membership: $15/month, and what it actually unlocks

The Membership is confirmed at $15/month. Per NC's own wording, it "unlocks the Market and the Kina↔Quna Exchange, plus additional gameplay benefits for members," and "also provides access to a special shop allowing for extra purchases with Kina." NC doesn't itemize the "additional gameplay benefits" beyond that in this notice.

In-Game Shop, Battle Pass, and Founder's Packs — including two details not widely reported

The In-Game Shop splits into Cosmetics (outfits, wings, pets, weapon skins, accessories — "purely aesthetic," no gameplay or combat advantage) and Consumables (potions, resurrection stones, etc.) that NC says "do not affect gear progression or long-term power" and are "also earnable through regular gameplay."

Battle Passes — called Daeva Passes — are sold per character with a free Standard Track and a Quna-priced Premium Track. NC's own description of what a pass can contain is broader than most recaps: "a combination of cosmetics, items, upgrade materials, and other in-game currencies." That's a materially different claim than "cosmetics only," and it's worth reading literally rather than assuming the Premium Track is purely aesthetic — NC hasn't clarified whether "upgrade materials" affects gear progression the way the Consumables section explicitly disclaims.

Founder's Packs are confirmed (contents still being finalized — "we're excited to share more very soon") to include a selection of cosmetics, consumables to aid an early journey in Atreia, and 5 days of Early Access before global launch. The footnote on that Early Access is specific: "Early access servers will have separate Markets, Exchanges, and PvP matching for a period" — i.e., early buyers are isolated not just economically but also in PvP matchmaking for a stretch, not merely kept out of the shared market as some recaps shorthanded it.

Frequently asked questions

  • What does AION 2's $15/month Membership unlock?

    Per NC's official July 8, 2026 notice, Membership ($15/month) unlocks trading on the Market and the Kina↔Quna Exchange, access to a special shop for extra purchases with Kina, and unspecified "additional gameplay benefits." An active Membership is required to trade on both the Market and the Exchange at all.

  • Is the AION 2 Battle Pass cosmetics-only?

    Not necessarily. NC's own notice describes Battle Pass (Daeva Pass) rewards as "a combination of cosmetics, items, upgrade materials, and other in-game currencies" — broader than the cosmetics-only framing used elsewhere. NC hasn't clarified whether those upgrade materials affect gear progression.

  • What do AION 2 Founder's Packs include?

    As of the July 8, 2026 notice: a selection of cosmetics, consumables to aid an early journey, and 5 days of Early Access before global launch. Exact pricing and the full cosmetic/consumable list weren't published yet ("we're excited to share more very soon").

  • Do Founder's Pack early-access players share the same market as everyone else?

    Not immediately. NC's notice states early-access servers run with separate Markets, Exchanges, and PvP matching "for a period," so early buyers are isolated from the wider player base economically and competitively for a stretch after their 5-day head start.

  • Where was this AION 2 business model plan officially announced?

    In a "Team Update" notice titled "Business Model — Our Approach," published directly to NC's official AION 2 notice board on July 8, 2026 at 16:00 UTC, signed "The AION 2 Team."

← All AION 2 news