AION2 Devs on No-Gacha Revenue: Players Pay to Support, Not to Win
AION2's early success in Korea and Taiwan suggests a no-gacha, pay-to-win-free business model can generate significant revenue, and the team now carries the weight of proving that model globally.
Reporting from 1 source: Denfaminicogamer.
NCsoft's AION2 earned 100 billion won (about 10.8 billion yen) in Korea and Taiwan within 1.5 months of service, without gacha monetization. The global version launches in September 2026 with a free-to-play, $15 monthly subscription, and item shop model. Developers remain cautious, saying global players will judge more harshly.
The numbers are out in the open: 100 billion won in 1.5 months, and the developers say the real figure was slightly higher than the official release. Business office head Seo In-seop admits the team was the most surprised by the result.
The monetization breakdown is simple. Cosmetic purchases drive most spending, often from players who say they buy to support the game. The global version, launching in September 2026, uses a free-to-play base, a $15 monthly subscription, and item purchases that do not confer strength.
Development PD Kim Nam-jun remains measured. Korean players, he says, look on a domestic title with warmth, but global audiences will be more severe. The genre itself does not hold a large share worldwide, and NCsoft's name recognition is still limited. The bet, he argues, is that the game's quality carries it.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Denfaminicogamer ガチャなき挑戦は、なぜ受け入れられたのか。MMORPG『AION2』開発者が語る”良心で稼ぐ”設計