The MMORPG Aion is now also available in Europe in its Classic version. Last year, the server launched in America, which made EU fans envious.
Aion is an MMORPG from developer NCSoft, which has been around for a few years. Released in 2008, it came to the West in 2009.
As fans gradually wished for the old version of the MMORPG back, a version of Aion was released that started from scratch – without all the updates and patches, except for a few exceptions for bugs and balance updates.
What is Aion Classic? The Classic servers are at the state of the patch from the release of Aion. You are thus in patch 1.0.
You choose one of the 4 base classes and can play PvE content up to level 50; it did not go further back then. Additionally, there are Rift and Fortress fights in PvP.
However, there will also be adjustments. The client uses version 2.7 to retain some conveniences and balance adjustments. Previously, leveling took longer and you received fewer experience points. This has been eased and remains in the Classic version of Aion.
Until now, the Western version of Aion Classic was only available in America. However, in a stream on Twitch, the developers announced that the game version will also come to Europe.
Restrictions in Free2Play
The biggest change compared to the regular servers is the fact that you need a subscription to have the best gear and the best leveling experience. The Free2Play version significantly restricts you and is nearly unplayable.
NCSoft promised that shop items would only refer to cosmetic items and there would be no Pay2Win. For this, they faced strong criticism:
- Players were particularly bothered by the battle pass, which can be purchased to enjoy further advantages – in addition to the subscription. It is called “Siel’s Aura” and gives you more experience points, extra materials, and the ability to trade directly with players. 30 days of Siel’s Aura cost 15 dollars, and 90 days are available for 42 dollars.
- The item “Tiger Candy” is also causing excitement. Players can buy it in the real-money shop and resell it in-game. It can be sold to NPC merchants for 100,000 Kinah, the in-game currency of Aion.
In Europe, NCSoft will not serve as the publisher of Aion Classic. Gameforge will take on the role instead. Therefore, there are slight hopes that there could be some adjustments on the EU servers that might make the game less Pay2Win-heavy, as it was originally promised.
Players are skeptical about Aion Classic
The American version of Aion Classic quickly died because the publishers made some mistakes. Under a post on reddit, there is now a discussion about whether things might run better on the EU servers or if it will fail just as badly. Many players are also looking forward to experiencing the old content anew and indulging in nostalgia.
This is what users are saying:
- AggravationCode8805: “If Gameforge makes the same mistakes as NCSoft, the servers will be dead within 2 weeks.”
- Masteroixd: “[The American version] died after 2 months because updates did not come to the game fast enough. It was a lot of fun for the short time, though.”
- arcadeScore: “The early release of Aion is the best content. The golden age of Aion. For everyone who didn’t get a chance to play the game when it required a subscription, it’s a good opportunity to enjoy the nostalgia trip.”
- Caekie: “Take care of botting, which players even do with their mains and are never punished. Address the absurd generation of Kinah from Pay2Win candies. Deal with RMT and the black market. Then you might have a good release of Aion Classic. Otherwise, the game is doomed to fail again.”
When is the EU release? The developers have definitely announced the EU version of Aion Classic, but have not yet provided a specific date. We will keep you updated on upcoming release updates.
What do you think about Aion Classic in Europe? Did you play Aion before, or are you still playing it? Are you looking forward to experiencing the old content again? What do you think about the problems with Pay2Win? Can Gameforge do it better than the publishers in America? Feel free to write it to us in the comments here on MeinMMO!
RuneScape wanted to try something similar with its new beginning worlds:
