F2PMMO News Industry
The F2P MMO Comeback Watch: AION 2 Opens Its Gates October 5
A big-budget F2P MMORPG goes global on Monday. Here's what to know, and how the newest free worlds are holding up.
Sharpen your blade and clear your calendar, Daeva. AION 2 goes free-to-play worldwide on Monday, October 5, on PC through Steam and NCSoft's PURPLE launcher, with players from both on the same servers.
Founder's Pack owners are already inside: early access opened on September 30. The packs run from $24.99 to $99.99, but you don't need one. On launch day, the gates open for everyone, free.
AION 2 isn't brand new everywhere. NCSoft launched it in Korea and Taiwan on November 19, 2025. This is its leap to North America, South America, Europe and Japan.
Can MMOs come back?
Every few months, someone asks whether the MMORPG is fading. Our answer: look at what people are actually playing.
When we checked Steam on the night of September 30, these F2P MMOs had the most players online:
- Warframe: 55,808
- Where Winds Meet: 6,087
- Guild Wars 2: 3,475
- Throne and Liberty: 3,101
Those are Steam players only. Games with their own launchers or big console crowds have more people than Steam shows.
Two of those four are new to most of the world. Where Winds Meet launched worldwide in November 2025, and Throne and Liberty, from AION 2's own studio, reached global players in October 2024. Fading genres don't usually do that.
What we're watching
- AION 2's first week. Whether its servers hold, and where its Steam count settles once early access turns into free access. Its player count page will show it day by day.
- Blue Protocol: Star Resonance, which turns one on October 9.
- Once Human, still going strong more than two years after its July 2024 launch.
Where to next
- Follow AION 2 to hear the moment it goes live
- Browse New and Upcoming F2P MMOs
- Watch the Most Played F2P MMOs on Steam list move
