The First Descendant Falls Below Expectations

The First Descendant, a free-to-play looter-shooter, had a remarkable start when it launched in July 2024. However, Nexon announced that the game lost its player base over time and its performance fell short of the company’s expectations. One of the biggest reasons for the loss of players was the lack of new content added to the game.

The First Descendant’s Performance

The First Descendant initially gained a strong player base, but struggled to maintain that audience over time. According to Nexon’s financial reports, player engagement increased slightly when the game’s second season was released in December 2024, but it was not enough. Nexon attributed the game’s performance decline to “a lack of new content” and “a decrease in traffic.”

Despite this, Nexon closed 2024 with record revenues. The company’s total revenue increased by 5% year-on-year to 446.2 billion yen (approximately $2.94 billion). Net income increased by 84%. Much of Nexon’s success came from other projects and its partnership with Tencent for the Chinese market.

The First Descendant continues with a live service model. Nexon announced that it will continue to provide regular updates and seasonal content for the game. However, data such as monthly active player count was not shared. The company aims to regain player interest.

Nexon’s other projects include expanding the Dungeon & Fighter series with exclusive content for the Chinese market. This partnership with Tencent aims to reach a wide range of players with “hyper-localization” strategies. The company expects to increase its revenue by 1% to 13% in the first quarter of 2025. While the future of The First Descendant remains uncertain, Nexon is expected to apply the lessons learned from this experience to its new projects. The game’s performance after its second season will determine its long-term success.

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