NCSoft, once seen as a symbol of pay to win, has changed markedly with the launch of Aion 2. The company faced controversy over payments and a sharp fall in its share price on launch day, but a series of live broadcasts and immediate system fixes helped the game reach 1.5 million daily active users and settle into early momentum.

Industry officials view the performance as more than the result of a new title. They see it as the first test of whether NCSoft’s stated shift away from its Lineage-like model will work in the market.

NCSoft released its new MMORPG Aion 2 on Nov. 19 in South Korea and Taiwan. The game faced initial connection issues and disputes over paid packages, but in its first week it posted steady indicators, including estimated cumulative revenue of 25 billion won, 2.52 million created characters and a top-five PC café share ranking.

The turning point came from a changed communication approach. NCSoft held four emergency live broadcasts in the first week to address issues directly, a contrast to the company’s previously quiet response style.

The fourth broadcast on Nov. 26 underscored NCSoft’s zero-tolerance approach. After reports of abuse in the Abyss Corridor following a maintenance update, the developers said they suspended 2,440 users for seven days and would recover all improper gains. They also permanently banned 80 accounts suspected of using the dungeon bidding system to trade currency for cash.

Flexibility and transparency also stood out. On Nov. 27, NCSoft lifted penalties on some accounts, saying it had found exceptional cases that were not intentional abuse. In a second round of removals that evening, it said users who entered three different corridors once each appeared not to have acted intentionally and disclosed detailed criteria while offering further relief. The company also issued a sixth wave of penalties for 84 accounts suspected of operating as farming workshops.

The company also disclosed unfavourable issues. Before opening a new server on Nov. 27, it explained that an abnormal character-creation issue came from an internal configuration error and inadequate network blocking, not hacking. When a maintenance update cleared friends lists, it apologised and announced compensation.

A comment by PD Namjun Kim during a broadcast, saying he would shave before the next one, drew attention on online communities. Users said it showed urgency as he had no time even for shaving while working on patches. NCSoft also delayed the planned Nov. 26 server opening by a day to ensure stable service, prioritising stability over traffic inflow.

A shift also appears in the revenue structure. NCSoft data showed that more than 90 percent of Aion 2 revenue comes from its PC payment platform. The move is seen as a way to avoid the 30 percent commission charged by app markets.

As a result, the game ranked lower in mobile app‑market revenue than rivals, but analysts said profitability improved.

Brokerage assessments were positive. Shinyoung Securities estimated Aion 2 would save 100 billion won in commissions in 2026 and raised its target price to 310,000 won. NH Investment & Securities said on Nov. 28 that Aion 2 was performing steadily and that NCSoft’s plan to apply its own payment system to Lineage M, Lineage 2M and Lineage W from this month would reduce total commissions by 112.1 billion won. Korea Investment & Securities analyst Hoyoon Jeong said the company responded quickly to early disputes and took the first step to regain user trust.

The attention on Aion 2 is rooted in self‑reflection among NCSoft’s leadership. Vice President Seonggu Lee said at G-Star 2025 that the company had made many fundamental mistakes and had accumulated burdens, and that it would pursue fair business models aligned with global standards.

Aion 2 reduces the role of probability‑based items and offers a monthly membership in the 20,000 won range, a battle pass and appearance‑focused payment options. It deleted disputed packages and increased in‑game currency supply based on user feedback.

An industry official said the game stabilised within a week after launch despite a share‑price fall and refund concerns on day one, crediting swift response and transparent operations.

Sustainability remains the challenge. The question is whether the user‑friendly approach will continue in upcoming titles such as Horizon Steel Frontier.

Korea Investment & Securities analyst Hoyoon Jeong said restoring trust through quality game development and reasonable business models is a long-term task.