Summary

  • The First Descendant had a strong start but saw a drop in player numbers, with the Season One update coming soon.
  • Open communication from Nexon about future updates and bug fixes is key to the game's success and player retention.
  • Season One and Season Two updates will bring new content like Descendants, Colossus, weapons, and skins to keep players engaged.

Nexon Games’ The First Descendant got off to a strong start when it first launched in early July 2024, reaching major player count milestones despite the technical difficulties that the game initially faced. Player numbers have slowly dwindled since then, but future updates for The First Descendant already look promising, so this could turn around very soon.

The First Descendant’s Season One update is set to be released soon, in late August 2024. From what’s been revealed about this new Season, fans of the game already have a good idea of what to expect from this major update for the game. In hindsight, Nexon Games’ open communication about The First Descendant’s upcoming live-service updates so far could prove to be one of the game’s keys to success over time.

Why Communication Is Key For The First Descendant’s Future Updates

According to Steam Charts, player numbers have dropped to around a quarter of The First Descendant’s peak player count on Steam just one month after the game’s massively successful launch. However, with the first Seasonal update just around the corner, plenty of players across all platforms will likely return to the game, and Nexon’s open communication about The First Descendant’s upcoming content will likely be a big factor in the popularity of the game’s future updates.

What to Expect From The First Descendant’s Season One and Season Two Updates

Season One Episode: Invasion Season Two Episode: Ancestor
  • Release date: late August 2024
  • Season Progression
  • Field Completion
  • New Descendant and Descendant Story
  • New Ultimate Descendant
  • New Colossus/Dungeon
  • New Weapon
  • New Skin
  • Release date: early December 2024
  • Season Progression
  • New Mega Dungeon
  • Utility Companion
  • New Descendant and Descendant Story
  • New Ultimate Descendant
  • New Colossus/Dungeon
  • New Weapon
  • New Skin

Clear Communication Will Help The First Descendant's Future Updates Thrive

Aside from knowing what kind of content to expect, knowing the start and end date of Seasonal content updates is also crucial for live-service games like The First Descendant. In the case of The First Descendant, knowing the length of current and upcoming Seasons will help players pace their progress in the Seasonal battle pass so they do not miss out on any limited-time exclusive rewards. So, with the general schedule of the next two Seasons already communicated well ahead of their release dates, players should have plenty of time to gauge their progress to get everything done before a given Season ends.

Even outside of The First Descendant’s seasonal content roadmap, open communication about bug fixes and other known issues with the game will also go a long way toward keeping the game alive and well between major content updates. So far, Nexon Games has also been on top of this, keeping an up-to-date monthly log detailing The First Descendant’s known issues, including ones that are actively under investigation and those that have been fixed. Considering that the game faced many technical issues in its first week after release, open communication like this should provide plenty of reassurance if the game faces any new issues in the future.

Viessa Closeup in First Descendant

As early as one month into the game’s post-launch lifecycle, it’s already apparent that Nexon Games is actively seeking player feedback while keeping players well-informed of what’s to come to the game. At the moment, Nexon has already revealed general details of what’s to come in the game’s first two Seasonal updates for The First Descendant, giving players a preview of what to expect from the game several months in advance. With this kind of transparency about major content updates as well as minor bug fixes, Nexon Games keeping an open line of communication with the game’s playerbase going forward should be a sweet treat for both new and returning fans of The First Descendant that will help the game thrive.

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The First Descendant Tag Page Cover Art

The First Descendant

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Action RPG
Third-Person Shooter
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Systems
PC-1 PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 56 /100 Critics Rec: 26%
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Released
July 2, 2024
ESRB
Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language
Developer(s)
Nexon Games
Publisher(s)
Nexon
Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Genre(s)
Action RPG, Third-Person Shooter
How Long To Beat
36 Hours