Steam Next Fest · Oct 19–26
ArcheAge Chronicles Steam Demo Guide
Updated ·By the AAC Atlas team·How we source data
The demo has ended
Oct 19, 10:00 AM PDT → Oct 26, 10:00 AM PDT
When is the ArcheAge Chronicles demo, and what is in it?
- Free, worldwide
- Diamond Shores, 2–3 h of quests
- 4 classes × 2 weapons
- PvP after the first town
- Throne of Hinnon (key in Sunken Ruins, per community)
- Progress does not carry over
Demo dates in your time zone
XLGAMES lists the window in Pacific time: it opens October 19 at 10:00 AM PDT and closes October 26 at 10:00 AM PDT. That is 17:00 UTC, 18:00 BST, 19:00 CEST and 02:00 KST the next day. The countdown at the top of this page uses your own clock.
How to download the demo
- Open the ArcheAge Chronicles Steam page.
- Once the demo is live, press Download Demo in the purchase area.
- Make sure you have about 100 GB free — the full game lists 100 GB and the demo has not published a smaller size.
- Launch it from your Steam library. Wishlisting is optional but gets you Early Access news.
What you can play
| Content | In the demo? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Diamond Shores (early-game region) | Yes — select content around it | Demo announcement |
| All 4 classes | Yes, each with two of its weapons | PvP post |
| PvP channel | Yes — after you leave the first town and reach the Nui Statue at your next stop (earlier than in the full game) | Ham's demo letter |
| Quest content | About two to three hours | Ham's demo letter |
| Regions and servers | Worldwide, no region lock. Servers: North America East and West, Europe Central, Asia East and South. A Brazil server was added Oct 23 (listed under NA) | Ham's demo letter; Brazil server notice |
| Languages | English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese | Ham's demo letter |
| Throne of Hinnon dungeon | Yes — high-level, outside the quest line; its key is hidden (community guides place it on a ledge in the Sunken Ruins, northeast of Watchtower of Hope) | Progression post, community guide |
| Kill log and PvP achievements | Yes (no rewards for kills yet) | PvP post |
| Housing and trade | No | Demo announcement |
| Carry-over to Early Access | No — demo saves are wiped | Demo announcement |
Best things to do in a week
- Try every class. Characters don't carry over anyway, so the demo is the cheapest place to pick your main. Compare them on our classes page.
- Hunt Raeven's Coilstones. They give trait points, which unlock new weapon skills — every one sits next to a strong boss. See progression explained.
- Collect Nui Tears and bring them to a Nui Statue for permanent max HP.
- Test Throne of Hinnon once your build has a few traits — XLGAMES warns it won't be an easy clear.
- Flip to a PvP channel at a Nui Statue if you want open-world fights. Our PvP guide explains the rules.
- Track what you've found on the interactive map — progress saves in your browser.
What changed since the network test
In his October 18 letter, Producer Ham lists what is new compared with the September network test: full voice-over and facial animation, reworked audio, quest sharing in parties and better logic for joining a party member's channel, clearer hints for paths and clues in points of interest and dungeons, and fixes for ladder collision, hit detection and missing translations. More gender options for gender-locked classes are in development but not in the demo.
It's a demo build
XLGAMES says the demo does not include the full game, some features may be limited and you may hit bugs. Balance, trait costs and skills can change before Early Access.
Frequently asked questions
Is the ArcheAge Chronicles demo free?＋
Yes. It is free for every Steam user during Steam Next Fest, with no key, sign-up or application.
Does demo progress carry over?＋
No. XLGAMES says progress and save data from the demo will not carry over to the Early Access version.
How long is the demo available?＋
One week: October 19, 10:00 AM PDT to October 26, 10:00 AM PDT, 2026. XLGAMES confirmed on October 27 that the demo has ended and said more news will follow soon.
Can I play the demo on PS5 or Xbox?＋
The demo is announced for Steam only. The full game is planned for PC, PS5 and Xbox; XLGAMES hasn't announced console demos.
Is there PvP in the demo?＋
Yes. Once you leave the first town and reach the Nui Statue at your next destination, you can switch to a PvP channel there. Standard channels stay PvP-free.
Which regions and languages does the demo support?＋
It is open worldwide with no region lock, on servers in North America (East and West), Europe (Central) and Asia (East and South). XLGAMES added a Brazil server on Oct 23, listed under the NA category in the server menu. Languages: English, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese.
The demo shows a black screen on launch. What should I do?＋
XLGAMES says the first load can take 5–10 minutes on a black screen. Wait up to 10 minutes without closing the game; if it is still black after that, open a ticket with Contact Support on the official support page.
Where is the Throne of Hinnon key?＋
XLGAMES only says it hid the key somewhere hard to find. A community guide with screenshots (unofficial) places it in the Sunken Ruins, northeast of Watchtower of Hope: climb to the upper jumping area near a Nui Tear, then glide across the stone pillars to a small side ledge. Take it back to the Altar of Seals to open the dungeon, where four sigils and a lever lead to the boss Helkum, King of Hinnon. We will pin it once it can be placed on a sourced map.
How popular is the ArcheAge Chronicles demo?＋
XLGAMES announced on October 20 (KST) that the demo reached No. 1 on both the Top Demos and Trending Upcoming charts of the Steam Next Fest October 2026 event page, as reported by Inven Global. No player counts were published.