Type: Aion Private Server
Website: aionriftshade.com
Tagline: A from-scratch Aion 4.8 preservation project with zero pay-to-win

Aion is NCSoft's faction-versus-faction fantasy MMORPG built around aerial combat, the Abyss, and the eternal war between Elyos and Asmodians. RiftShade sets out to preserve the Aion 4.8 era, but rather than running on the leaked retail server files most projects rely on, it is built on a custom client and server engine rewritten from the ground up for retail-accurate gameplay. The project's identity is fairness first: a strictly no-pay-to-win economy focused on cosmetics and competitive depth instead of power sales. RiftShade is a launch-stage server in pre-registration ahead of its Q1 2026 opening, so much of the experience is still rolling out.

Custom Engine: Client and server rebuilt from scratch rather than using leaked retail files
No Pay-to-Win: Monetization limited to cosmetics, with competition decided by skill
Built-in DPS Meter: Server-side DPS, HPS, K:D and dispel tracking with no third-party tools
Anti-Cheat: Privacy-focused server-side anti-cheat and Anti-DDoS protection
Public Profiles: MyAion-style pages showing gear, rankings and stats
Web Tools: Browser-based broker, LFG and the RiftShade Codex for live item data
Dynamic Rifting: Rift system in the spirit of the 1.9 era plus world boss events on original maps
Ladders: Separate PvE and PvP leaderboards with anti-griefing protection for level-disparate players

Discord Community: 2769 members