September 16, one day before the test opens
The AION 2 pre-download begins September 16, 2026 — Sept 16, 6:00 AM to Sept 17, 6:00 AM PDT (Sept 16, 15:00 to Sept 17, 15:00 CEST) — and covers the Launch Scale Test client on Steam and PURPLE. Steam players install the free Playtest App and preload through it; PURPLE players preload through the PURPLE platform. The test client’s download size is not announced, and no separate pre-download window for the live game has been confirmed yet.
What the September 16 Pre-Download Covers
The pre-download date announced so far belongs to the Launch Scale Test. NC’s official announcement lists “Pre-download: September 16th” as the first entry in the test schedule, immediately before the two play sessions on September 17–18. Preloading during this window downloads the test client so it is ready when Day 1 opens.
This is not yet a live-client preload. The announcement does not confirm a separate pre-download window for the Founder’s Pack Advance Access on September 30 or the October 5 public launch. Those remain TBD, and this page tracks them rather than assuming the test preload carries over.
The platform split is also confirmed: the test pre-download runs on Steam and PURPLE, the two global PC channels. Steam players go through the AION 2 Playtest App, while PURPLE players use NC’s PURPLE platform. Neither route requires a key, an invite, or a registration list — the test is open to everyone.
How to Pre-Download on Steam
The official announcement’s call-to-action links to the AION 2 Playtest App store page, which is the test client Steam players install. The practical sequence is: open the linked Playtest App page, install the free app, and complete the download when the September 16 window opens so the client is ready before Day 1.
No purchase or Founder’s Pack is involved. The test is open to everyone with no keys, invites, or registration, so the only requirements are a Steam account, the storage space, and a copy of the app installed before the sessions you plan to join.
Keep the naming straight: the Playtest App is the test client, not the final AION 2 game. After the test ends, Steam players must uninstall the Playtest App and download AION 2 separately for Advance Access on September 30. The test installation never converts into the live client.
How to Pre-Download on PURPLE
PURPLE is confirmed as a test platform in the same announcement, so PURPLE players also receive the September 16 pre-download window. The practical step is to open NC’s PURPLE client, find AION 2, and start the preload when the window opens in your time zone.
The announcement does not publish the PURPLE screen flow — button names, download prompts, or any account-setup steps are not documented in the readable material. This page does not reconstruct them from other NC titles. Check the PURPLE client directly when the window opens; the official in-launcher flow takes precedence over any secondhand description.
One confirmed PURPLE advantage: after the test ends, PURPLE players have no further steps needed, according to the announcement. Unlike Steam, there is no uninstall-and-reinstall requirement between the test and Advance Access on September 30.
Client Size and Storage Planning
The download size of the Launch Scale Test client has not been announced. Neither the Steam announcement nor the Playtest App page publishes a gigabyte figure for the test build, so any specific size you see elsewhere is an estimate, not an official number. This page keeps that field as TBD.
For planning purposes, the only official storage figure is the full game’s system requirement: 100 GB of storage with an SSD recommended. That number describes the final client’s requirements, not the test client’s download, but it is the best available guide for how much free space to keep ready.
Practical advice that does not depend on an unannounced number: clear more headroom than you think you need, prefer the SSD, and avoid filling the target drive before September 16. Launch-day patches routinely change space requirements, and the installer will show the real size when the window opens.
Pre-Load Now, Launch Later: What Each Date Means
The dates stack in this order: pre-download opens September 16, the test sessions run September 17–18 with a 6-hour daily limit and a level 37 cap, Founder’s Pack Advance Access begins September 30, and the free global launch follows on October 5. All four dates come from official sources and refer to different clients and entitlements.
Progression never bridges those stages. Everything earned in the test is wiped at the end of Day 2, and nothing transfers to Advance Access or launch. Preloading saves download time on day one of each stage; it does not save progress.
A live-client pre-download window for September 30 or October 5 has not been announced. When NC publishes one, it will be a separate window with its own client — most likely on the same two platforms — and this page will record it with its source rather than projecting the test schedule forward.
Pre-Download Status by Platform
Both confirmed test platforms, side by side. Live-client preload windows are not announced yet.
| Steam | Sept 16, 6:00 AM – Sept 17, 6:00 AM PDT · Sept 16, 15:00 – Sept 17, 15:00 CEST · via the free Playtest App | Uninstall the Playtest App; download AION 2 separately for Advance Access on Sept 30 ↗ |
| PURPLE | Same window via the PURPLE platform; exact launcher flow not yet published | No further steps needed, per the official announcement |
Official AION 2 Global Video
This official Gamescom 2026 trailer is included as verified launch-season media. It shows the game being discussed, not a pre-download interface, and no client size, window, or step is inferred from the footage. The September 16 window on this page follows the linked official announcement.
Pre-Download Details Still Awaiting Confirmation
The window and platform rules above are confirmed, but the operational details below were not published with the announcement. They stay pending until an official source or the live client supplies them.