<s>
Aion	B-Protocol
:	I-Protocol
The	I-Protocol
Tower	I-Protocol
of	I-Protocol
Eternity	I-Protocol
(	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
massively	B-Protocol
multiplayer	I-Protocol
online	I-Protocol
role-playing	I-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
(	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
)	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
the	O
South	O
Korean	O
company	O
NCSoft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
May	O
20	O
,	O
2009	O
,	O
Aion	B-Protocol
had	O
3.5million	O
subscribers	O
in	O
Asia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AION	B-Protocol
's	O
first	O
major	O
expansion	O
pack	O
was	O
released	O
to	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
on	O
September	O
7	O
,	O
2010	O
under	O
the	O
name	O
AION	B-Protocol
:	O
Assault	O
on	O
Balaurea	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aion	B-Protocol
's	O
second	O
major	O
expansion	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
June	O
26	O
,	O
2013	O
under	O
the	O
name	O
"	O
Aion	B-Protocol
:	O
Dark	O
Betrayal	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
most	O
recent	O
expansion	O
was	O
launched	O
on	O
July	O
13	O
,	O
2016	O
under	O
the	O
name	O
"	O
Aion	B-Protocol
:	O
Echoes	O
of	O
Eternity	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PvPvE	O
gameplay	O
of	O
Aion	B-Protocol
revolves	O
around	O
battles	O
within	O
the	O
Abyss	O
and	O
Balaurea	O
(	O
PvP	O
zones	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Within	O
these	O
zones	O
are	O
fortresses	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
controlled	O
by	O
individual	O
Legions	O
(	O
the	O
Aion	B-Protocol
equivalent	O
of	O
Guilds	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Battle	O
to	O
control	O
these	O
castles	O
involves	O
combat	O
against	O
players	O
of	O
the	O
opposing	O
faction	O
and	O
computer	O
controlled	O
NPCs	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
,	O
using	O
siege	O
weapons	O
obtained	O
from	O
PvE	O
raid	B-Protocol
content	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Up	O
to	O
four	O
groups	O
may	O
form	O
an	B-Protocol
Alliance	I-Protocol
for	O
situations	O
that	O
call	O
for	O
greater	O
force	O
of	O
numbers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
base	O
process	O
involves	O
learning	O
a	O
particular	O
form	O
of	O
crafting	O
,	O
of	O
which	O
there	O
are	O
seven	O
in	O
Aion	B-Protocol
:	O
weaponsmithing	O
,	O
armorsmithing	O
,	O
handcrafting	O
,	O
tailoring	O
,	O
alchemy	O
,	O
cooking	O
,	O
and	O
construction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
many	O
aspects	O
to	O
flight	O
in	O
Aion	B-Protocol
,	O
which	O
plays	O
a	O
vital	O
role	O
in	O
Travel	O
,	O
Combat	O
,	O
Quests	O
,	O
and	O
Crafting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
three	O
type	O
of	O
quests	O
in	O
Aion	B-Protocol
:	O
ordinary	O
quests	O
,	O
campaign	O
quests	O
and	O
Work	O
Orders	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
the	O
god	O
Aion	B-Protocol
created	O
the	O
world	O
of	O
Atreia	O
,	O
he	O
created	O
the	O
Drakan	O
—	O
powerful	O
dragon-like	O
beasts	O
tasked	O
with	O
safeguarding	O
the	O
humans	O
;	O
performing	O
Aion	B-Protocol
's	O
will	O
on	O
the	O
planet	O
;	O
and	O
protecting	O
the	O
Tower	O
of	O
Eternity	O
,	O
Aion	B-Protocol
's	O
physical	O
presence	O
on	O
Atreia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
a	O
time	O
,	O
the	O
Drakan	O
obeyed	O
Aion	B-Protocol
;	O
but	O
over	O
time	O
,	O
they	O
began	O
to	O
enjoy	O
their	O
power	O
,	O
ignoring	O
their	O
duties	O
and	O
abusing	O
the	O
humans	O
who	O
inhabited	O
Atreia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aion	B-Protocol
took	O
notice	O
,	O
creating	O
the	O
twelve	O
Empyrean	O
Lords	O
in	O
response	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Angelic	O
in	O
appearance	O
,	O
the	O
Empyrean	O
Lords	O
were	O
demigods	B-Language
who	O
walked	O
amongst	O
humans	O
,	O
and	O
used	O
a	O
force	O
called	O
"	O
Aether	O
"	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
powerful	O
barrier	O
,	O
later	O
to	O
be	O
called	O
an	O
aetheric	O
field	O
,	O
around	O
the	O
Tower	O
of	O
Eternity	O
,	O
protecting	O
all	O
of	O
those	O
within	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Those	O
in	O
Elysea	O
became	O
the	O
Elyos	O
,	O
growing	O
even	O
more	O
beautiful	O
and	O
believing	O
themselves	O
to	O
be	O
Aion	B-Protocol
's	O
chosen	O
people	O
(	O
although	O
they	O
have	O
grown	O
arrogant	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aion	B-Protocol
was	O
first	O
announced	O
and	O
previewed	O
at	O
the	O
May	O
2006	O
E3	O
Expo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Released	O
on	O
October	O
19	O
,	O
2011	O
,	O
The	O
Promised	O
Lands	O
(	O
Ascension	O
in	O
NA	O
)	O
takes	O
Aion	B-Protocol
further	O
into	O
Balaurea	O
,	O
including	O
areas	O
where	O
opposing	O
factions	O
must	O
work	O
together	O
with	O
the	O
Reians	O
to	O
drive	O
the	O
Balaur	O
back	O
into	O
Tiamaranta	O
,	O
where	O
players	O
face	O
Dragon	O
Lord	O
Tiamat	O
in	O
her	O
fortress	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
official	O
Aion	B-Protocol
:	I-Protocol
The	I-Protocol
Tower	I-Protocol
of	I-Protocol
Eternity	I-Protocol
Original	O
Soundtrack	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
single	O
CD	O
featuring	O
22	O
tracks	O
written	O
by	O
composer	O
Yang	O
Bang-Ean	O
(	O
also	O
known	O
as	O
Kunihiko	O
Ryo	O
in	O
Japan	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Second	O
official	O
album	O
called	O
"	O
AION	B-Protocol
–	O
Annales	O
of	O
Atreia	O
"	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
May	O
10	O
,	O
2010	O
via	O
the	O
iTunes	O
Store	O
for	O
$9.99	O
USD	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
South	O
Korea	O
:	O
Aion	B-Protocol
was	O
released	O
in	O
South	O
Korea	O
on	O
November	O
25	O
,	O
2008	O
,	O
making	O
this	O
the	O
first	O
country	O
to	O
get	O
a	O
final	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Given	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
NCsoft	O
's	O
previous	O
games	O
,	O
Lineage	B-Protocol
and	O
Lineage	B-Protocol
II	I-Protocol
,	O
Aion	B-Protocol
had	O
been	O
a	O
highly	O
anticipated	O
game	O
in	O
South	O
Korea	O
ever	O
since	O
its	O
announcement	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
February	O
2	O
,	O
2010	O
,	O
Pixiv	B-Application
collaborated	O
with	O
NCsoft	O
for	O
a	O
special	O
fan	O
art	O
contest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Australia	O
:	O
NCsoft	O
is	O
distributing	O
Aion	B-Protocol
in	O
Australia	O
through	O
QV	O
Software	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
September	O
22	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
also	O
being	O
distributed	O
via	O
Valve	O
's	O
digital	O
distribution	O
platform	O
,	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
within	O
this	O
region	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Taiwan	O
:	O
NCsoft	O
began	O
an	O
open	O
beta	O
of	O
Aion	B-Protocol
in	O
Taiwan	O
on	O
June	O
7	O
,	O
2009	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
July	O
21	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
v1.5	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
21	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
v2.0	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
13	O
,	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Europe	O
:	O
NCsoft	O
released	O
the	O
final	O
version	O
of	O
Aion	B-Protocol
in	O
Europe	O
on	O
September	O
25	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Europe	O
,	O
Aion	B-Protocol
was	O
available	O
in	O
two	O
editions	O
:	O
Standard	O
Edition	O
and	O
Collectors	O
Edition	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
latter	O
includes	O
many	O
in-game	O
items	O
,	O
figurines	O
,	O
posters	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Official	O
Aion	B-Protocol
Soundtrack	O
CD	O
by	O
composer	O
Yang	O
Bang-Ean	O
(	O
known	O
as	O
Ryo	O
Kunihiko	O
in	O
Japan	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
North	O
America	O
:	O
Aion	B-Protocol
was	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
September	O
22	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
release	O
was	O
accompanied	O
by	O
a	O
free	O
comic	O
book	O
from	O
Wildstorm	O
,	O
Aiva	B-Protocol
's	I-Protocol
Story	I-Protocol
by	O
writers	O
David	O
Noonan	O
and	O
Ricardo	O
Sanchez	O
,	O
with	O
art	O
by	O
Neil	O
Googe	O
for	O
those	O
who	O
preordered	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aion	B-Protocol
was	O
in	O
available	O
in	O
two	O
editions	O
:	O
Standard	O
Edition	O
and	O
Collectors	O
Edition	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
latter	O
includes	O
many	O
in-game	O
items	O
,	O
figurines	O
,	O
posters	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Official	O
Aion	B-Protocol
Soundtrack	O
CD	O
by	O
composer	O
Yang	O
Bang-Ean	O
(	O
known	O
as	O
Ryo	O
Kunihiko	O
in	O
Japan	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Game	O
was	O
made	O
available	O
through	O
Retailers	O
for	O
DVD	O
purchase	O
,	O
and	O
Via	O
download	O
from	O
NCsoft	O
,	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
Gamestop	O
's	O
website	O
,	O
File	O
Planet	O
and	O
Direct2Drive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Russia	O
:	O
Aion	B-Protocol
open	O
beta	O
running	O
since	O
December	O
8	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Russia	O
,	O
Aion	B-Protocol
is	O
supposed	O
to	O
use	O
a	O
mixed	O
payment	O
model	O
with	O
monthly	O
subscription	O
and	O
additional	O
payments	O
for	O
in-game	O
items	O
and	O
benefits	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aion	B-Protocol
was	O
the	O
biggest	O
MMO	O
release	O
in	O
recent	O
years	O
according	O
to	O
NCsoft	O
,	O
with	O
400,000	O
pre-orders	O
in	O
the	O
US	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
its	O
western	O
release	O
,	O
Aion	B-Protocol
became	O
the	O
best-selling	O
PC	O
game	O
of	O
September	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
1	O
on	O
both	O
the	O
Steam	B-Application
and	O
Direct2Drive	O
charts	O
for	O
several	O
weeks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
success	O
of	O
Aion	B-Protocol
resulted	O
in	O
NCsoft	O
's	O
quarterly	O
revenues	O
to	O
rise	O
112%	O
for	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
$142million	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aion	B-Protocol
has	O
received	O
generally	O
positive	O
responses	O
from	O
professional	O
reviewers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
lists	O
an	O
average	O
review	O
score	O
of	O
76/100	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Positive	O
reviews	O
have	O
cited	O
that	O
Aion	B-Protocol
provides	O
a	O
"	O
refreshing	O
look	O
"	O
from	O
an	O
artistic	O
perspective	O
and	O
a	O
"	O
great	O
first	O
impression	O
"	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
lot	O
of	O
polish	O
and	O
balance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
states	O
that	O
Aion	B-Protocol
"	O
tries	O
to	O
offer	O
something	O
for	O
everyone	O
and	O
succeeds	O
at	O
it	O
,	O
albeit	O
in	O
varying	O
degrees	O
and	O
at	O
different	O
stages	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Negative	O
reviews	O
focus	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
tendency	O
towards	O
"	O
grinding	B-Application
"	O
and	O
its	O
lack	O
of	O
innovative	O
features	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
review	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
first	O
levels	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
were	O
"	O
fast-paced	O
and	O
intuitive	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
that	O
grinding	B-Application
"	O
quickly	O
became	O
obtrusive	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
