Aion and Lineage II Plot a Busy August With Fresh Servers, Classes, and Quality-of-Life Tweaks
NC America is giving its two veteran MMORPGs a summer tune-up. Aion (2009) and Lineage II (2003) both retain active, nostalgia-driven communities, and August will bring the kind of updates that keep long-running games feeling current. Aion is opening a new “Ascend” server aimed at faster leveling and streamlined progression, while Lineage II is adding two playable classes and a frosty new guardian as part of its “Summer Update.”
These changes arrive amid renewed interest in classic MMO experiences. Developers have learned that modern players appreciate quicker leveling curves and convenience features, but still want the depth and social hooks of older titles. NC America’s August roadmap fits that approach: less grind, more ways to experiment with builds, and a few headline additions to stir older veterans back into the fold.
Aion – “Ascend” Server (August 19)
- Combines features from Korea’s Wind, Lumi, and X servers into one North American shard.
- Faster leveling: 4x XP rates plus doubled dungeon rewards.
- Item upgrades: Tripled Manastone socket success and an “Enchant Boost” that raises upgrade odds.
- Classic 4.0 Part 2: Level cap jumps to 70, new raids and dungeons added for existing Classic realms.
- Revamped login rewards and treasure hunts aimed at easing gear progression for returning players.
Lineage II – “The Summer Update” (August 12)
- Wolf Waker: Melee-centric class that marks targets and gains buffs from its own abilities.
- Rose Vain: Ranged fighter built around damage-over-time skills like Rose Vine and Nightmare Death Blossom.
- Guardian Glacika: New NPC ally who specializes in ice-based crowd control.
- L-Grade gear refresh: Perfect-rate effect temporarily boosts damage on normal and skill attacks.
- Tradeable Heavenly Cloaks, higher dragon-weapon ceilings, and an enchant scroll that increases success odds on high-end items.
Further reading: Aion Ascend Pre-registration, Lineage 2 Summer Update