Aion producer introduces Aion 2.5

Aion fans on the Korean servers are enjoying a new patch today, Aion 2.5. The patch was released late last night to bring big changes throughout the game. It builds largely on the updates given in Assault on Balaurea but carries some exciting additions for all players, even new ones.

This patch will come to the NA and EU servers sometime in 2011; while we don't have a specific launch date yet, localization is underway, and we do have lots of details. Producer Sean Neil spent some time chatting with us about this patch, and there's plenty to tell. Follow along after the jump to see what 2.5 will bring to 2011!

Patch 2.5 will be a four-part update that encompasses content, legions, graphics, and some new systems. First up, of course, is the new content.

The update will bring two new instances that build off of the Assault on Balaurea storyline, and Daevas are under the gun (figuratively speaking, of course). In the first instance, Daevas are working to cut the Balaur supply lines and gain a long-term advantage in the battle. In the second, Daevas are hoping to step up their forces and hurry this conflict along. There's a new training camp to help whip everyone into shape in an arena-style instance that contains 10 rounds and a total of 50 stages.

There's no shortage of updates to existing content, either. When 2.5 arrives, players will enjoy a new sacred item enchanting system and many new designs for the post-2.1.2 crafting system updates. Furthermore, every class will get three new skills and updates to 5-6 existing skills.

The update will introduce an exciting new concept designed to appeal to newer players: the Helper System. Assault on Balaurea convinced many former players to give Aion a second look and brought a decent number of new players in as well. A common frustration in situations like this is the huge level gap, which prevents new players from participating with the established community.

NCsoft is seeking to address this with the Helper System. This system will give low-level players a LFG channel, so to speak, which will allow them to call on high-level players to come to the rescue when it's taking an extremely long time to advance through a quest -- or when they can't complete it at all. The penalties that discouraged this sort of thing in the past will be offset by a reward of coins for the more experienced player, making it time well spent for everyone involved.

If you loved the new pets introduced with Assault on Balaurea, you'll love the next part of 2.5. There will be several new pets for players to enjoy as well as changes to the existing pet systems. Your furry friends will have a lot of new surprises for you!

The third part of 2.5 lavishes attention on legions. First and foremost, there will be two new levels for legions, meaning you can now max out at level 5 rather than 3. There will also be two new character ranks with new permissions (including warehouse permissions) and more storage in legion warehouses.

You'll find new items for legions, too, including some new cosmetic options: new costumes and full-length cloaks.

Finally, the fourth part of 2.5: There are some big graphical updates coming with 2.5, but the beauty of it is that they're optional. You can enjoy the updated graphics if you want, but if your computer has trouble with them or you'd rather stick with the current system, you won't be forced into the upgrade.

Update 2.5 is bringing a lot of exciting changes to Atreia this year, and you'll want to keep a close eye on Massively as we bring more details down the road!

Thanks for taking the time to fill us in, Sean!