The First Descendant was released back in July of 2024. It’s nearing its second anniversary, but Nexon says that the game fell short and failed. While it did get a lot of hype and still has a lot of players, Nexon believes that the game has a retention problem, which can be an issue for live service games such as this.
Why does Nexon think the game failed?
While failure doesn’t necessarily mean that the game is shutting down, Nexon may feel that it is possibly because it isn’t generating enough money as it should. The game is in no danger of shutting down (at least not right now). We could muster up a couple of reasons why the game isn’t doing so well.
Game is repetitive
A major reason often cited for the game’s struggles is player retention. Many players felt that the core gameplay loop became repetitive too quickly. While the visuals and gunplay were praised, the lack of varied endgame content made it difficult to keep players invested over time.
Live-service games rely on a steady stream of meaningful updates, but early perceptions suggested that The First Descendant didn’t deliver enough fresh content fast enough. This created a gap between what players expected from a constantly evolving experience and what they actually received. As a result, engagement tapered off sooner than Nexon likely anticipated. The game can be a bit grindy for some people.
Greedy monetization
Another factor that likely shaped Nexon’s view is the reaction to monetization. Some players criticized the game for aggressive or expensive microtransactions, particularly around character progression and customization. In free-to-play games, monetization is essential, but if it feels too intrusive or unfair, it can drive players away.
For Nexon, which has extensive experience with free-to-play systems, negative sentiment around monetization can be a red flag. Even if the systems are profitable in the short term, they can damage long-term player trust and retention, again feeding into the perception that the game isn’t meeting expectations.
Sexy Skins aren’t enough
The game has been criticized and mocked as something that is called a gooner game. It’s a game where they sell character skins that make them look hot and provocative. While the game isn’t a dating sim by any means, people can’t help but criticize that the game uses its attractive female characters for cheap sales and profit. There’s nothing illegal about that, but even that has lost its luster for some players.
What’s in store for the future?
The game is still doing well in terms of numbers. Not game-breaking numbers, but it’s not bad. The challenge is keeping new players, and the bigger challenge is getting new ones. These current players may stop playing and leave, so you need to put new blood into the game. They can add more endgame content or just more content to make the people stay and come. After all, you have to minimize the grind and make people feel the reward for something.
