The wait is almost over for the year's biggest massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, Aion.

Today, NCsoft, the world's premier publisher and developer of MMOs, confirmed that Aion has been released to manufacturing. Aion is the highly anticipated game that has already taken Asia by storm and has quickly become one of the world?s largest MMO franchises ahead of its release in North America on September 22nd.

In advance of the game's launch, Aion will be showcased at both GamesCom 2009 in Cologne, Germany, as well as the Penny Arcade Expo 2009 in Seattle, Washington. Both events will feature exclusive hands-on access to the 1.5 version of the game, which has yet to be unveiled to Western audiences. This version of the game introduces numerous enhancements, including continued improvements to Aion's innovative character customization that will now include a host of Western styles, as well as new zones, instances, skills, quests and continued game balancing and improvements.

Aion has already built major momentum among gamers across Europe and North America, with more than three million hours of gameplay logged in the game's closed best testing alone. Additionally, the Limited Collector's Edition version of the game is nearly sold out in retailers, and Aion is currently on the best-seller lists for PC games weeks ahead of the game's launch. Aion is available for pre-order from several participating online and brick-and-mortar retailers, including Aiononline.com, Amazon, Best Buy, EB Games Canada, Fry's Electronics, GameStop, Steam and Target.

Unlike any MMO before it, Aion is a uniquely crafted online experience where flight offers much more than just a way to explore the landscape - it is a strategic and integral part of combat, quests, and exploration. Players will dive into battle and plunge through thousands of unique, story-driven quests, all while trying to save a world literally shattered in half from centuries of brutal conflict. Using one of the most flexible and in-depth character customization systems ever featured in an MMO, players will be able to create genuinely distinct characters and explore a visually stunning world of ethereal beauty brimming with otherworldly inhabitants, mysterious enemies, and ancient secrets.

For more information about Aion go to http://www.aiononline.com.

About NCsoft
NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Lineage(R), Guild Wars(R), and City of Heroes(R) franchises. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at http://us.ncsoft.com.

Oh why those Asians sell so well?

All this hype for a game that's already been released in Korea and China for some time now.

Aion's innovative character customization that will now include a host of Western styles

I had missed that info. Nice.

{deleted post} Grudge wrote:

Aion's innovative character customization that will now include a host of Western styles

I had missed that info. Nice.

yeah I didn't know that either, that is nice. I do find the current customization to be a bit too 'asian', particurlarly the male hairstyles

A bit too gay actually. I didnt find other acceptable option but being bald.

{deleted post} Grudge wrote:

Aion's innovative character customization that will now include a host of Western styles

I had missed that info. Nice.

Rofl, they mean Afros? Right?

{deleted post} Bowtox (Aedus) wrote:

{deleted post} Grudge wrote:

Aion's innovative character customization that will now include a host of Western styles

I had missed that info. Nice.

Rofl, they mean Afros? Right?

Haha yeah. Theres also a Cloud hairstyle from FFX. Dear god. Most overused hairstyle...EVER.

Jinne HAS to go with a 'fro Since hes a black guy in game.

lol, imagine a whole legion of afro's... be o.k. as long as they add a hairdressers where you can get the colour and style changed, for the vain Daeva's!

{deleted post} Sterling wrote:

Jinne HAS to go with a 'fro Since hes a black guy in game.

Sweet baby jesus

{deleted post} Grudge wrote:

Aion's innovative character customization that will now include a host of Western styles

I had missed that info. Nice.

That sounds very nice, but I wonder if it really means that the toons will look more western.. lets hope so!

It probably just refers to the possibility of having REAL BEARDS. My god, I don't know what beards they have in Asia, but if beta was anything to go by.. fuck.

{deleted post} Grimm wrote:

{deleted post} Grudge wrote:

Aion's innovative character customization that will now include a host of Western styles

I had missed that info. Nice.

That sounds very nice, but I wonder if it really means that the toons will look more western.. lets hope so!

= The characters are fat! (and holding a burger in the off-hand)

{deleted post} {deleted user} wrote:

A whole legion of afros, spamming: "Pool's Closed". Yeah, I can see that.

Didn't know that news, looks nice .

Arkhis wins one internet.

{deleted post} Jinnee wrote:

A bit too gay actually. I didnt find other acceptable option but being bald.

Oh, totally missed this previously. You must have never stated this before.

Semper Afro!

Though I do wonder with that release note, why they really really set a lot of focus on character customization? It's nice, but it's definitely not something that enhances an MMO's survivability above the rest...

SPORE: THE MMO!

{deleted post} Athator wrote:

Semper Afro!

Though I do wonder with that release note, why they really really set a lot of focus on character customization? It's nice, but it's definitely not something that enhances an MMO's survivability above the rest...

SPORE: THE MMO!

Personally, I've always found that games with extremely complex character customisation have generally turned out to be very enjoyable games. I hate having to choose between 5 set hairstyles and everyone having the same body.

Many new MMO's jabber on about how unique your character is supposed to be, and if you look exactly like the 6 guys in your group, you ain't exactly unique; hence the elaborate Char Customisation.

I would without a doubt want a game with a sensible character customization option, but it still doesn't say a lot about the game. Once that character is designed, you might just have 300+ hours of boring grinding ahead of you looking at one cool character that you can pride on is unique. (Which granted is better than grinding 300+ hours of boredom looking at a generic character)

But you're still bored!

Though I must admit matching a party of characters, so that they perfectly recreate the A-team would be kinda awesome

And if any of you have played Spore: The possibilities are amazing and you're absolutely sucked in and the possibilites of customizing not just a character but an entire SPECIES is endless but then... Man, this is kinda repetitive. And boring. Log off and now it's collecting dust.

Just saying if I were selling Aion, I would have focused on more of it's other awesome aspects as a sales pitch

Ok I am tempted by the A-team idea, clearly i want to be murdoch, any other takers?

{deleted post} {deleted user} wrote:

{deleted post} Athator wrote:

And if any of you have played Spore: The possibilities are amazing and you're absolutely sucked in and the possibilites of customizing not just a character but an entire SPECIES is endless but then... Man, this is kinda repetitive. And boring. Log off and now it's collecting dust.

To be honest, it got boring after about 1hour of playing. And I personally found the spore creator was EXTREMELY lacking in options.

One of the few games I regret ever having bought, together with Empire: Total War.

Agreed