NCsoft announced today that they will begin beta testing in Japan in July.
There's gonna be a pre-open beta starting in mid-late June and open beta will start on 12th of July.

While NCsoft still haven't confirmed payment methods in that region, all signs indicate that it will follow the model they're using in Korea and China.

Following the korean and chinese release, Japan, Taiwan and the western parts of the world will get the game later this year (in that order).

(Source: http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisisgame.com%2Fboard%2Fview.php%3Fid%3D230381%26board%3D%26page%3D%26category%3D711%26subcategory%3D%26best%3D%26searchmode%3D%26search%3D%26orderby%3D&sl=ko&tl=en&history_state0=

So, this means that if Aion is released Japan. The game has a better chance of being successful.

I'm confused, what do you mean "If" its released in Japan, you just said they confirmed its beta is starting in July, thats pretty much saying its going to be released there I thought?

Also they've stated intent to release it there, I don't understand why they wouldn't?

Just curious...

what im kinda confused about is why there is a beta test at all?

I mean, the game already had a beta test before it was released in Korea. The only change i can imagine would be translating the game into japanese...

Originally posted by NomortaL

what im kinda confused about is why there is a beta test at all?

I mean, the game already had a beta test before it was released in Korea. The only change i can imagine would be translating the game into japanese...

beta= free trials

Stress new servers and gives players a chance to try the game for free.

Watch it WOW, Aion's star is rising. I really wonder how much Aion has already impacted WOW subs in the east.

Too bad they dind't do a global release but I suppose we westerners have to get used to standing in the back of the queue :)

  Love Aion soo far ,playing chinese version and counting on how the game will be released in the english version I might stay on the chinese version and just learn chinese or just move to the japanese one since I know abit of japanese...

  Tbh it's the 2nd MMOG that I actualy feel like playing non-stop and the first isnt WoW ... it's EVE online :)

What is taking this game so long to open up for the west ?  don't give me that crap about getting the language right , that would take 20 people a month to get it done. i think more then likly they are finished and just don't care how long it takes to open up in the west. i would almost guess we don't see this untul next year and the rest have the first expansion out .Then we may get our shot..

 My theory on why it's taking so long is because they want to customize the game even more to appeal to western gaming styles.  Not just the language, but the control scheme, the user interface, everything.  We can already do things like disable click-to-move and auto-approach, as well as move the mini-map and character vitals to the top instead of the bottom.  This is all a great start at making the game feel less "Korean Grinder," but that overall feel is still present.  I think they'd like to buff that out a little more before releasing in english-speaking countries.

Right now, Aion still feels decidedly asian.

Originally posted by sanedor

What is taking this game so long to open up for the west ?  don't give me that crap about getting the language right , that would take 20 people a month to get it done. i think more then likly they are finished and just don't care how long it takes to open up in the west. i would almost guess we don't see this untul next year and the rest have the first expansion out .Then we may get our shot..

Yes, I'm sure NCsoft just doesn't care about the large profit potential that is the western market. They're just dicking around because they feel like it.

No, really, in actuality, you haven't got a clue what goes into a proper translation. It is not a simple matter of changing words to words -- the actual meaning has to be interpreted, altered, and localized. For millions of lines of text.

Originally posted by sanedor

What is taking this game so long to open up for the west ?  don't give me that crap about getting the language right , that would take 20 people a month to get it done. i think more then likly they are finished and just don't care how long it takes to open up in the west. i would almost guess we don't see this untul next year and the rest have the first expansion out .Then we may get our shot..

Localization is much different then just translation. They are currently doing localization for the Western version of Aion, because it needs much of the content to be adapted to western culture. It is much easier to just translate the game for other Eastern nations because the cultural difference isn't as vast.

plus who knows it could be because the western market has proven to be very finicky about MMO's not being extremely polished upon release. Just look at it this way, by the time the game comes out over here it will more then likely be one of the most polished MMO's to come out in a very long time. Plus we'll more then likely have a decent amount of content straight from release.

 The thing is Aion does not need to be "westernized" (if that is a word) ,it is already perfect in most aspects and there is already 2 sets of full translations made by fans for chinese and korean and soon japanese.

 There is absolutely no point in modifying Aion to suit us EU/US folks ,it's already on that path,tbh if it is changed too much il just stick to one of the Asian servers..

Blah they wanna take so much time to release a mediocre game fine by me. Blood, guts , n glory is where its at. If they change it any for us release I'm not gonna think twice bouti t anyway... Korean mmos pfft.

Originally posted by SubL_Jedi

Blah they wanna take so much time to release a mediocre game fine by me. Blood, guts , n glory is where its at. If they change it any for us release I'm not gonna think twice bouti t anyway... Korean mmos pfft.

Based on the games you have been playing, I'm not suprised you are in a foul mood.

Originally posted by Thrage

 My theory on why it's taking so long is because they want to customize the game even more to appeal to western gaming styles.  Not just the language, but the control scheme, the user interface, everything.  We can already do things like disable click-to-move and auto-approach, as well as move the mini-map and character vitals to the top instead of the bottom.  This is all a great start at making the game feel less "Korean Grinder," but that overall feel is still present.  I think they'd like to buff that out a little more before releasing in english-speaking countries.

 

Right now, Aion still feels decidedly asian.

It would be foolish to remove some of those features, like click-to-move and auto-approach. It just makes the gameplay experience more convienient and less cumbersome. The only thing they should change is the cooldown on the scout's (as well as assassin an ranger) stealth ability; as 1 minute is quite excessive for being able to use abilities that sets you apart from the other classes. It should more be like 20 seconds so it can be used once per fight when grinding even level mobs.

I'm not sure if it's just translatng and/or localization. It could be but then again if you look at their Lineage franchise they always had their games released in Asia and later on in the west. And when it released in the west it did not include the new features. I mean at least to my knowledge in Lineage Korea is always one chapter ahead of the western market. So my guess is once the game is translated and what ever localized means it will release as it is now in korea not as it will be in korea at the moment of the western release... Just a thought.

There were other problems than just the language.  It looked like some of the UI needed to be re-worked because when it was translated to English it would run off the ui windows.

I also think they are doing more than that.  The game seems pretty solid, It's smart of them to take their time and get it right.  We've all seen what happens to games that rush it out the door.

Has anyone heard if the Japan will do a character wipe after there closed beta test? or open beta test even?

how was it in korea and china?

Originally posted by NomortaL

Has anyone heard if the Japan will do a character wipe after there closed beta test? or open beta test even?

how was it in korea and china?

There will always be a character wipe after a BETA.

Sometimes there's a 3-Day "headstart", but the Beta avatars' are Never carried forward in a venue like this.  It would give an unfair advantage.  Who wants to join the game late because they weren't a 'fayboi' and find out all the newb areas have been cleared?  Or worse yet be griefed by a level 50 on release day?  Like when the cross-world portals open...  Yea, level 50s pouring through...  Instant ragequits.

Edit: Grammer.

Originally posted by NomortaL

Has anyone heard if the Japan will do a character wipe after there closed beta test? or open beta test even?

how was it in korea and china?

China did not do a wipe after CB, I believe Korea did.

    Even if the game is not very good it should have success with it being released in so many regions......Everyone knows how the Asians love their gaming so it was smart to target them first (and of course being an asian made game).......Of all games Aion is probably the only one that will come close to WoW but mainly because of where they are selling it not so much because it rivals it as a game.

Originally posted by Theocritus

    Even if the game is not very good it should have success with it being released in so many regions......Everyone knows how the Asians love their gaming so it was smart to target them first (and of course being an asian made game).......Of all games Aion is probably the only one that will come close to WoW but mainly because of where they are selling it not so much because it rivals it as a game.

It just makes sense that a game made in Korea would be released to other asian countries first, just like how American and European games are also released to other American and European countries before asian countries.

Also, give Aion more credit.  All reviews so far say its a great game with no game breaking flaws, tight controls and polished gameplay, great pvp and pve, and above all, fun to play.

Just some news for those that live in Japan

Today closed beta applications are being accepted for the Japanese version of the game. But it looks like I’ll be waiting for the release I guess because….

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
“Characters made during the closed beta will not be carried over to the open beta/released game”

https://secure.plaync.jp/aion/event/0905cbt/guide.aspx (IP blocked for non-japanese i think)

Doh! I hate waiting

I’ve already played some of the Chinese version and I don’t want to make another character that’ll just get wiped again.
 

edit: cant display japanese characters for some reason...