AION 2 Crashing or Won't Launch? Error Codes & Fixes

Updated 2026-10-20 · Global release (Season 1) · launch-window meta, subject to patches

AION 2 Crashing or Won't Launch? Error Codes and Fixes

AION 2's PC launch has been bumpy for a lot of players: black screens, crashes after the logo, NCGUARD block codes, Steam linking errors and "unable to connect" kickbacks. Most of it is fixable. The golden rule before you touch anything: write down or screenshot the exact error code — it points you straight to the right fix, so you don't reinstall 100 GB for nothing. This covers the global Steam/PURPLE PC build as of October 2026.

If the game simply says it's unavailable in your region, that's the region lock, not a technical fault — no driver will fix it. The legitimate options are on the restricted-region page, including the official Taiwan service for Chinese-speaking players.

It won't launch after I press Play

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and end every leftover Aion2.exe, then restart the launcher (reboot the PC if a process won't close).
2. On Steam: right-click AION 2 → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.
3. Fully close MSI Afterburner/RivaTuner and the Discord, Steam and NVIDIA overlays, then launch as administrator. If it starts, re-enable them one at a time to find the conflict.

Error 1138:100134 — "Failed to reset Steam account linking"

Fully exit Steam, right-click it and Run as administrator, then launch from your Library. If it persists, contact NC Support with a screenshot. Don't create a new account or unlink/relink — character progress cannot move to another NC account.

NCGUARD block codes (anti-cheat — not an automatic ban)

When NCGUARD stops the game, save the log and match the code:

• 0xE0000013 — wrong launch method. Only use the official Steam/PURPLE Play button, not Aion2.exe, a shortcut or a third-party launcher.
• 0xE0000015 — a client is already running or too many are open. End all Aion2.exe processes and open one.
• 0xE0000027 — another program conflicts. Close overlays, monitors, tuning tools, macro apps, trainers and memory editors. Some players fixed it by disabling the ASUS Armoury Crate/Aura Sync service (msconfig → Services → hide Microsoft services → untick Aura → reboot) or removing Cheat Engine/WeMod.
• 0xFA000001 / 0xFA000002 — launch timed out. Close heavy apps, pause downloads, check your antivirus history and add the game folder as an exclusion.
• 0xFA000103 — a required DLL is missing. If it names VCRUNTIME140 or MSVCP140, repair the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable x64 and run Windows Update. Never download individual DLLs from random sites.
• 0xE0000017 — you launched through Remote Desktop; run the game directly on the PC.

One odd but real launch bug: some setups crash because of extra USB/RGB peripherals. Temporarily unplug non-essential devices, or (on keyboards with one, like a Corsair K70) flip to BIOS mode to start the game, then switch back once you're in.

"UE-Aion2 Game has crashed" / Fatal / GPU dump

• Verify files, close overlays and update your GPU drivers. On Radeon RX 9000 cards, NC specifically points to driver Adrenalin 26.9.1 as a compatibility version to test.
• Return any GPU/CPU overclock or undervolt to stock.
• If you reach the menu, lower the preset and cap FPS; test with frame generation disabled. Change one setting at a time.
• NVIDIA: try disabling G-SYNC in the NVIDIA Control Panel.
• On Intel 13th/14th-gen desktop CPUs, install a stable motherboard BIOS update.
• Don't force -dx11; the game is DirectX 12.

Black screen, out of memory, and settings errors

• Hear audio but no image: press Alt+Enter; if it appears, set the game to Borderless Windowed at your native resolution. A black screen that closes the game is a crash (use the steps above).
• PresentInternal(SyncInterval) failed: turn off Steam Cloud for the game, then open %localappdata%\AION2\Saved\_Steam\PersistentDownloadDir (PURPLE: without _Steam) and delete only the UserSetting folder after backing it up.
• Out of memory: a VRAM error means lower textures (4 GB cards especially); a RAM error means close apps and let Windows manage the page file automatically (sysdm.cpl → Advanced → Performance → Virtual memory).

"Unable to connect to game server" / back to login (sometimes C:213840)

• Check official news and Discord first — scheduled maintenance kicks everyone offline (launch day had an 8-hour window). Reinstalling won't speed that up.
• Try another server without deleting your character. If every server fails, reboot the router, use a wired connection, or briefly test through a phone hotspot — if that works, the problem is your route/ISP.
• Sync Windows time automatically, test without a VPN/proxy, and run ipconfig /flushdns. Players in mainland China on the Taiwan service generally need a game accelerator for a stable route — that's expected, not a bug.

My character vanished after switching Steam and PURPLE

It's almost always a login mismatch, not a deleted character. Confirm you're on the same world and sign in with the same method (if you started on Steam, choose Steam inside PURPLE). Steam must be linked to the same NC account — linking a different one does not move progress. Use NC's official account-link recovery if it was changed.

"Temporarily restricted" — security lock, not always a ban

A login from an unfamiliar device or IP (common with VPN/accelerator hopping) can trigger a Temporary Security Lock. Request restoration through the official Support Center on the affected account; a genuine rules-violation message has its own appeal path. Stay safe: one account under your own email and phone, official top-up only, two-factor authentication on, and don't rapidly switch VPN countries.

If nothing works, send Support your launcher, Windows version, CPU/GPU and driver version, the exact failure point (logo, character select, entering world, loading a dungeon), the saved NCGUARD log or full error screenshot, and — for connection issues — your country, ISP and whether another network helps. And double-check your PC against the system requirements; near-minimum machines should start on the Low preset, with the crowd-tuned options in our best settings guide.

This guide is based on the global release as of October 2026. AION 2 is receiving frequent balance patches, so details may change. Unofficial fan guide, not affiliated with NCSoft.

This guide is based on the global release as of October 2026. AION 2 is receiving frequent balance patches, so meta may change. Unofficial fan guide, not affiliated with NCSoft.