Aion 2 Under Fire: Streamer Entenburg Takes Issue with Turbo-Leveling

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Aion 2 Under Fire: Streamer Entenburg Takes Issue with Turbo-Leveling.

When a new MMO is on the launchpad, many veterans look at one thing first: How quickly and how comfortably can you reach max level? For the Free2Play title Aion 2, German streamer Entenburg finds the answer is clearly too comfortable. In the GameStar Talk panel, he calls on the developers to trust players more again – the path Aion 2 is currently taking goes too far in the direction of automation, in his view.

What exactly bothers Entenburg about Aion 2?

Specifically, the streamer takes issue with two design decisions that, according to GameStar, shape the early game: fast level-ups and built-in macro systems. In his assessment, the combination means the leveling phase barely demands any active decisions – a macro handles routine tasks, and the experience bar fills up accordingly quickly.

Entenburg's criticism can be summed up in one sentence, which he put exactly this way in the conversation:

Please trust players again more!

Why the issue divides the MMO community

The debate is nothing new: On one side is the desire for accessible Free2Play MMOs that don't lose casual players in the first 40 hours. On the other side, veterans fear that automated leveling phases erode the bond with your own character. Entenburg clearly places himself on the second side – and sees the current direction of Aion 2 as a trend that patronizes players rather than thrilling them.

What you should know about the background

Aion 2 is the successor to the Free2Play MMO Aion, which launched in the 2000s and still has a die-hard community to this day. With the second installment, the publisher is taking the leap into a new generation – both returning players and newcomers are watching closely to see how the onboarding plays out. Entenburg's criticism from the GameStar Talk slots right into this observation gap.