Dates Announced for Aion's Open Beta, Pre-Select and Headstart Programs!

[Knite]

Here's that much-anticipated announcement!

Press Release:

Players are now one step closer to the release of the year's biggest massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, Aion.

Within the next four weeks, NCsoft will treat North American and European gamers to two opportunities to jump into the world of Aion and explore Atreia as Asmodian or Elyos characters ahead of its release in North America on September 22 and Europe September 25. Aion's Open Beta Test featuring version 1.5 will take place September 6 - 13 and will include numerous Western enhancements, including improvements to Aion's innovative character customization with a host of Western styles, as well as new zones, instances, skills, quests and continued game balancing and improvements. Open Beta will retain a level cap for both Elyos and Asmodians characters at 30 allowing players to focus on getting to the same level so they can explore the lands of Atreia together, as well as the Abyss.

Players who have preordered Aion will be treated to a Pre-Select and a two-day Headstart period giving them the opportunity to explore, organize and progress through the game prior to the official launch. Pre-Select will take place on September 18, while Aion's Headstart will begin September 20. Players can still participate in the Aion's Pre-Select and Headstart programs by preordering the game through several participating online and brick-and-mortar retailers, including Aiononline.com, Amazon, Best Buy, EB Games Canada, Fry's Electronics, GameStop, Steam and Target.

Unlike any MMO before it, Aion is a uniquely crafted online experience where flight offers much more than just a way to explore the landscape - it is a strategic and integral part of combat, quests, and exploration. Players will dive into battle and plunge through thousands of unique, story-driven quests, all while trying to save a world literally shattered in half from centuries of brutal conflict. Using one of the most flexible and in-depth character customization systems ever featured in an MMO, players will be able to create genuinely distinct characters and explore a visually stunning world of ethereal beauty brimming with otherworldly inhabitants, mysterious enemies, and ancient secrets.

For more information about Aion go to http://www.aiononline.com.

[Spirit]

sweet ^^

i found it here too

but Knite beat me to the post!

[Tsuke]

I like cake

[cyan]

COOL.

And when can we start downloading the massive 1.5 patch?

[G.H.C.U.]

Wow, spamming F5 for OB info worked.

[zeeZ]

[citation needed] Oh look, another one of those false random guess.... oh, wait...

[Deeja]

^^ This

/10chars

[TrancerX]

Woot !!!! So when can we start updating to 1.5 !?

[Board]

Thanks for the announcement!

[VanKrakken]

Whats the diff between pre-select and head start? I dont think I understand what "pre-select" is.

[Sealfate]

Thanks for announcement god damn week wait tho back to the **** wow

[Amai]

So close you can taaaste it...

[darkpandemona83]

They haven't really stated how open this open beta is going to be.

[Serina]

I was just browsing for new posts when I saw this. Thanks, Knite! I hope they are alot better about getting the 1.5 patch to people in the West than 1.2 in China. I only just got 1.2 completely set up yesterday. No one was seeding (sometimes there ould be 1 or 4 seeds), so I had to do the http download >.< I can only hope that when it comes time for us to set up our 1.5s before the open beta starts that things will be much smoother than China update was.

[Kurgan]

Not to be accused of complaining too much, but why start OB on a Sunday? Why not just start it on Friday like the CBTs? Just doesn't make a ton of sense to me to wait and lose that valuable weekend time.

Oh well, at least we finally got an announcement. Thanks!