AION 2 Download and Preload is available before the free global launch, so you do not need to wait until the servers open on October 5 to install the game. AION 2 launches on Windows PC through both Steam and NC’s PURPLE launcher, and Steam is already showing the Pre-Load Game option for the full release.
The important thing with AION 2 Download and Preload is making sure you install the live AION 2 client rather than the old Launch Scale Test app. Steam testers were specifically told to uninstall the separate Playtest application and download AION 2 again, while PURPLE players could continue through NC’s launcher.
How to use AION 2 Download and Preload on Steam
For Steam, open the AION 2 store page while signed into the account you plan to use. The current store page shows a Pre-Load Game option ahead of the October 5 free launch.
- Open Steam and search for AION 2.
- Use the Pre-Load Game button on the main AION 2 store page.
- Choose an install drive with enough free space.
- Let Steam finish downloading the encrypted preload files.
- Leave extra time for decryption when the launch build unlocks.
NC warns that preloaded files are encrypted. When access opens, Steam needs to decrypt those files before the game can run. That decryption step is not a second full download, but it can still take time depending on your storage speed and PC.
Do you need to uninstall the AION 2 Playtest?
Yes, if you used the separate Steam Playtest application during September. The AION 2 Download and Preload process for Steam uses the normal AION 2 app, not the Launch Scale Test client.
NC’s test instructions explicitly told Steam players to uninstall the Playtest app and download AION 2 separately for the live service. Keeping the old test client does not turn it into the October release.
How to install AION 2 on PURPLE
The PURPLE side of AION 2 Download and Preload uses NC’s own PC launcher. Download and install PURPLE, sign in with the NC account you want to use, select AION 2 and start the game installation from the launcher.
Players who used PURPLE during the Launch Scale Test were told that they did not need the same Playtest-app uninstall step as Steam users. Even so, let PURPLE finish every update before the global servers open.
How much storage does AION 2 need?
Leave at least 100 GB of available storage for AION 2 Download and Preload and the live client. That is the storage figure listed in the current PC requirements.
Giving the installer some extra headroom is sensible because launch patches, temporary update files and decryption can all need working space. Installing to a nearly full drive is an easy way to turn a preload into a launch-day problem.
Can you preload without a Founder’s Pack?
The free-launch AION 2 Download and Preload is now the relevant route for players joining on October 5. Steam currently exposes the preload on the main game page while Advanced Access remains active for Founder’s Pack owners.
A Founder’s Pack is for early access and its included extras. The normal global game itself becomes free to play when the public service opens.
Steam or PURPLE: does the download change the servers?
No. Choosing Steam or PURPLE for AION 2 Download and Preload does not put you into a separate version of AION 2. The global clients share the same game service and regional server structure.
Pick the launcher you actually prefer. If you want the same character available through both clients, use the account-linking system rather than assuming the launchers automatically share account identity.
When can you actually play after preloading?
Finishing AION 2 Download and Preload does not bypass the public opening time. The free global service opens October 5 at 13:00 UTC, which is 2:00 PM BST in the UK.
Advanced Access ends earlier and a scheduled maintenance window separates it from the public launch. If the game is installed but refuses to enter the service during that maintenance, reinstalling is the wrong first response.
What to do before launch
Once AION 2 Download and Preload is finished, make sure the launcher has no pending update, check that Windows has enough free space for decryption, and verify you are opening the normal AION 2 client.
It is also worth deciding your region, faction and server before the rush. The actual server choice matters far more than whether you downloaded through Steam or PURPLE.
Quick answer for AION 2 Download and Preload
AION 2 Download and Preload is already available ahead of the October 5 free launch. Steam users should preload the normal AION 2 app and remove the old Playtest app; PURPLE users should install or update through NC’s launcher. Leave at least 100 GB free and expect a decryption step before the game starts.
If the files are ready but the servers are still closed, check the published opening time before troubleshooting your installation.
Official source: AION 2 on Steam
