First off, Ayase has posted a large summary of the events from this year’s Gamescon. Watch some of the many interviews that took place and the aion live theater events. Be sure to check it out over at aiononline.com.

With the Penny Arcade Expo well on it’s way, the Aion team sends out a notice on what will be available from their booth.

September 4, 2009 marks the opening of the sixth annual Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), a major North American gamer festival that takes place in the heart of Seattle, Washington.

With gamescom still in our rear view mirror, Aion is ready to follow up on last year’s efforts at PAX and once again glide over to the convention center with the entire Aion team tagging along for the ride. Don’t miss out on this excellent opportunity to view our beautiful booth (#642), get some hands-on time with the latest version of Aion, chat face-to-face with our present staff, or walk away with some much coveted swag.

Follow our Aion community blog throughout the coming week to get a peek of what delicious highlights to expect!

See you there!

We finally get our hands on the English version of the 1.5 patch. Luckily for us, they’ve already ensured smooth downloading for everyone! Read below for the details.

Following our recent announcement regarding the commencement of Aion’s open beta, we have taken steps to ensure a smooth setup and preparation process for all participants. While our Launcher will incrementally update your client, the new and patched Aion open beta client has been distributed to a select few partners around the web to prepare for our open beta test. To get your hands on it, you may visit FilePlanet or download it from GamersHell (available later this week).

We have also added a new option that the Aion community has long anticipated: downloading the full open beta client via our BitTorrent tracker. We have even arranged for a torrent patch for those of you who already have the closed beta client installed but want to get prepared for open beta!

As added extra spice, FilePlanet will–in addition to distributing the client–be giving away a load of open beta keys starting on Tuesday, September 1, 2009. Get on the starting line if you do not have an eligible Aion account already! Eligible accounts include any previous closed beta participants and those who have preordered or prepurchased Aion.

Players are now one step closer to the release of the year’s biggest massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, Aion.

Within the next four weeks, NCsoft will treat European and North American gamers to two opportunities to jump into the world of Aion and explore Atreia as Asmodian or Elyos characters ahead of its release in Europe on 25nd September and North America 22th September. Aion’s Open Beta Test featuring version 1.5 will take place 6-13th September and will include numerous Western enhancements, including improvements to Aion’s innovative character customisation with a host of Western styles, as well as new zones, instances, skills, quests and continued game balancing and improvements. Open Beta will retain a level cap for both Elyos and Asmodians characters at 30 allowing players to focus on getting to the same level so they can explore the lands of Atreia together, as well as the Abyss.

Players who have pre-ordered Aion will be treated to a Pre-Select and a two-day Headstart period giving them the opportunity to explore, organise and progress through the game prior to the official launch. Pre-Select will take place on 18th September, while Aion’s Headstart will begin 20th September. Players can still participate in the Aion’s Pre-Select and Headstart programs by pre-ordering the game through several participating online and brick-and-mortar retailers. For a complete list please go to www.aiononline.com.

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 customisation 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 www.aiononline.com.

In anticipation of the launch of this year’s biggest massively multiplayer online (MMO) release, Aion, NCsoft announced an exclusive cross promotion today giving players the ability to call upon the Aion wings emote within the Guild Wars family of games.

Designed as an added value and a way to say thanks to our biggest fans of the Guild Wars and Aion franchises, players that purchase an Aion Collector’s Edition or a first run Aion Steelbook Edition will be rewarded with a Guild Wars emote that displays the wings that have become synonymous with Aion.

While the Aion wings emote will stay active in a players account forever, the promotion has a limited run. In order to guarantee a Guild Wars Aion wings emote code, players are encouraged to pre-order Aion at several participating retailers, including GameStop, Amazon, Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics and EB Games.

For more information on the Guild Wars Aion Wings promotion, please visit www.guildwars.com/aion.

About Aion

The MMO genre spreads its wings and takes flight in Aion, the latest title from publisher and developer NCsoft and the most anticipated new MMO of 2009. Aion is a visually stunning massively multiplayer online RPG where you fight in an epic celestial war between twin races of winged beings. Wielding devastating powers and the capability of genuine flight, you must restore the balance to a beautiful world shattered by cataclysm. Customize your online experience like never before, including character, weapons and item customization, in preparation for story-driven quests and innovative combat on land and in the air. Choose your side, spread your wings, and claim your rightful place among the immortals.

About Guild Wars

Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Guild Wars Nightfall, and Guild Wars: Eye of the North, are global online role-playing games that allow gamers to play with anyone, anytime, and anywhere in the world. Within the games, players venture through multiple chapters of an award-winning storyline in which they face-off against magical creatures, forgotten races, vengeful spirits and even a god. Players can choose to play through the game solo, recruit henchmen that you control or join a party with other players. The Guild Wars franchise subscription-free business model has proven to be a big hit with gamers, bringing an enormous and diverse online community to the game.

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NCsoft fans are in for a treat at this year’s Penny Arcade Expo. A wide variety of treats are in store for fans of NCsoft’s Aion, Guild Wars 2, and City of Heroes. Check out all of the juicy details below!

Playable builds, art books, developer chats, exclusive codes, artist signings and giveaways are a few of the activities taking place in the NCsoft booth

With Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) 2009 now in NCsoft West’s backyard following our recent Western headquarter relocation to Seattle, attendees will quickly realize we’re holding nothing back. Making quite the splash, NCsoft will host three distinct booths featuring playable content from the launch update of the most anticipated MMO of the year, Aion – recently awarded “Best Online Game” at gamescom last weekend; various activities surrounding the recent reveal of the Guild Wars 2 teaser trailer, including a Guild Wars 2 art book giveaway; and the playable City of Heroes Issue 16 “Power Spectrum” and Mission Architect build, featuring powers customization and Mission Architect enhancements on the show floor.

We invite you to come visit us at our Aion, Guild Wars 2 and City of Heroes booths to see what we have going on. Below you will find additional information regarding NCsoft PAX activities:

Come experience what all the buzz is about! The Aion booth will feature 20 gaming stations complete with the new playable content from the update 1.5, playable for the first time in North America. The launch update introduces numerous enhancements, including continued improvements to Aion’s innovative character customization now featuring a host of Western styles, as well as new zones, instances, skills, quests and continued game balancing and improvements. We will also have Aion spokespeople, including Brian Knox and Lani “Liv” Blazier, available for one-on-one interviews in the booth (#642). Additional information on Aion can be found the Aion Web site.

Hot off the world premiere of the teaser trailer in Cologne, Guild Wars 2 will be attending PAX in force. An exciting draw at the booth will be the giveaway of The Art of Guild Wars 2 – a hardbound book packed with 128 pages of eye candy by Guild War 2’s award-winning artists providing fans with a glimpse into the world of Guild Wars 2. Artists will be on site signing the book throughout the show. In addition, we’re hosting talks covering the upcoming novel The Fall of Ascalon and Q&A sessions with the Guild Wars Live Team in the booth (#842). Visit the Guild Wars Web site for additional information.

Visit the City of Heroes booth (#542) for the opportunity to get your hands on the long awaited powers customization update featured in the game’s 16th free expansion, “Power Spectrum,” before its public release. City of Heroes’ developers will be available to give hands-on tips for using the game’s Mission Architect user-generated content system, answer questions and discuss the future of the super hero MMO genre. In addition to booth activities which include giveaways and a PAX exclusive Costume Power code, the City of Heroes team invites you to their panel discussion entitled “Mission Architect: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Story,” and will host a player Meet and Greet on Saturday evening. More information on City of Heroes can be found on the City of Heroes Web site.