With the launch looming in November, the short-form advertisements for 'AION 2' released across YouTube and Instagram have been met with a lukewarm—if not outright frosty—reception. Some players are taking issue with the character animation while tethered to a butterfly, arguing that it feels stiff and fails to capture the iconic 'wings' that defined the original series.

The video in question, which dropped on September 11, was designed to drive pre-registrations. It focuses on 'Papis,' a pet reward, and how the character interacts with it. At just 36 seconds, the ad is a bite-sized snippet clearly aimed at the short-form crowd, highlighting the pet's design and flight mechanics.

However, the sight of a character being hauled along by Papis with zero animation movement has left many feeling less like they're riding a majestic creature and more like they're prey being dragged to a pantry. While the hovering animation is passable, the actual flight sequence sees the character’s limbs locked in a static, unnatural pose. The social media comments are predictably brutal: 'Why is the animation like this? Even a Barbie doll has more range of motion,' or 'It looks like the character is being dragged to a feeding ground by a butterfly.'

Furthermore, for those who remember AION, the 'flight' mechanic is synonymous with 'wings.' The image of Elyos and Asmodian characters spreading their wings to soar is a core memory for the community. In fact, that sense of freedom in the skies was the primary selling point for the original game.

Admittedly, this ad was meant to highlight a pet, not the wings. But when you remind people of AION, they naturally expect to see wings, not just a butterfly acting as a taxi service. It leaves one wondering: where are the iconic wings? Even the comments reflect this confusion, with users asking, 'What about the wings?' or 'Are butterflies replacing wings now?'

I realise that short-form content is all about cutting to the chase to secure those pre-registrations. This video is clearly not a comprehensive look at everything AION 2 has to offer. However, if you are going to put your best foot forward to reel in players, first impressions matter—and this one leaves a bit to be desired.