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Aion: Ascension launches

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Aion: Ascension, the free-to-play model of Aion, has officially launched today.  NCSoft has spent the last week converting current players to the new model, and are now ready to open the game to all who wish to play.

With the update comes the Atreian Atlas, a tool that acts as a personal guide for players as they travel through the game.  This allows players to truly see what lies ahead in their progression through the game.

Several new features have been added to the game with the update as well.  Two new housing districts have been launched, comprised of five different house types: Palace, Estate, Mansion, House and Studio.  Four new mounts are also available: Surfrider, the Pagati, the Sharptooth, and the Flurry.  The level cap of the game has been raised from 55 to 60, and over 600 new quests await players.

The quests are offered in two new zones: Sarpan and Tiamaranta.  One solo, two six-player, two 12 player, and 24 player instances have also been revealed.

NCSoft also publishes Guild Wars and Lineage II.

Aion Gameplay Screenshot

 Source:

Aion: Ascension™ Launches Today With Truly Free Business Model and Highly Anticipated 3.0 Content
Early Indication Points to Success – Tripled Concurrency Prior to Launch

SEATTLE, April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — NCsoft®, the world’s premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), today launches Aion: Ascension, a powerful combination of its Truly Free business model, pioneered by NCsoft’s Lineage II in 2011, and the highly anticipated 3.0 update. Aion: Ascension introduces new and existing players to refined starting areas and mid-level zones and advanced content for the more experienced Aion player base with no subscriptions, no account tiers and no purchase requirements. Aion: Ascension ultimately underscores the already award-winning content found within the game with yet additional layers of innovative content and business model philosophies.

“We started converting current players to the new business model late last week in preparation for today’s launch and we couldn’t be happier with the response, tripling concurrency in a matter of hours,” said Director of Product Management, Edward Chang, Game Publishing Studios, NCsoft. “We spent a considerable amount of time focused on optimizing Aion: Ascension for the Truly Free business model, and early feedback from the community indicates that we made the right decisions.”

Along with the C.U.B.E. (Customizable User Bundling Experience), an unparalleled system allowing players to customize their Aion marketplace item bundles based on their characters personal needs, Aion: Ascension brings players the Atreian Atlas, an advanced guidance system that acts as a personal pathfinder as players progress through the game. The information revealed within the Atreian Atlas provides insight allowing players to properly prepare for what lays ahead, giving the best MMO experience for new and experienced players alike.

Aion: Ascension also brings players several features as seen in the Aion Vision Trailer, including housing, mounts, new zones and multiplayer instances.

  • Housing
    • Two new housing districts comprised of five types of housing: Palace, Estate, Mansion, House and Studio.
    • Studios are quest-based and everyone will be able have access to one, whereas the houses and mansions are auction-based and will be obtained via a special in-game auction system just for housing.
  • Mounts
    • Mounts are the latest way to get around Atreia in style, and with this update you can travel at ever increasing speed depending on the mount. Players will be able to summon one of four new mounts coming in the update – the Surfrider, the Pagati, the Sharptooth or the Flurry!
  • New level cap of 60
    • More than 600 new quests, bringing a massive content update extending the game as players progress from 55-60.
  • New instances and zones
    • Two new zones – Sarpan and Tiamaranta
    • Six new instances consisting of two 12-player, two six-player, one solo, and one 24-person instance.

Additional information on Aion: Ascension, including images and video assets, can be found here –www.aiononline.com.

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