The First Descendant Overhauls Seasonal Updates Amid Player Feedback, Adds Valentine’s Content
Nexon has announced major changes to The First Descendant’s seasonal model, extending Season 2 into a two-part arc and delaying Season 3 to summer 2025. The shift, revealed in a February 12 developer livestream, follows criticism of the looter-shooter’s “lackluster” three-month update cycles.
Key Changes
- Seasonal Policy Overhaul:
- Season 2, Episode 2 (“Beyond the Void”) launches in March, adding the Sigma Sector region, fire-based Descendant Serena, and comedic Ultimate Blair.
- Season 3 (summer 2025) will debut a 1st-anniversary event and collaboration, with “entirely new content” to address player fatigue.
- Weapon & Progression Updates:
- Ultimate Weapon Reworks: Last Bastion (single-target DPS boost), Sigvore’s Proof (sticky bomb scaling), and Restored Relic (cluster missile homing).
- Arche Tuning System: Lets players enhance character-specific Arche modules for stat boosts.
- Valentine’s & Hot-Springs Content (Week 11 Update):
- Skins: Valentine’s “Lub-dub” cosmetics and gender-specific Oasis Party outfits with new hairstyles.
- Albion Hub Expansion: Winter hot-springs area with themed emotes.
- Events: Four limited-time ops (Feb 12–Mar 12) offering login rewards, enhancement materials, and the “Flutter” spawn item.
Why the Seasonal Shift Matters
The First Descendant launched in July 2024 to mixed reviews, praised for its Destiny-meets-Warframe combat but criticized for repetitive endgame loops. The game's launch playerbase on Steam was 260,000 but that quickly fell to an average of just 9,000 currently.
The extended Season 2 aims to retain players amid competition (Helldivers 2, Concord) by fleshing out storylines (e.g., Gley’s daughter Dia) and adding verticality via Serena’s flight mechanics.
Community Response
Players on Discord welcomed the transparency, particularly the weapon reworks and faster cosmetic releases (twice monthly). However, skepticism remains about Nexon’s ability to balance monetization (e.g., $30 skins) with meaningful progression.
What’s Next
- Season 2, Episode 2: Launches March 2025 with Sigma Sector missions and Obliviant enemy faction.
- Season 3: Summer 2025, featuring unannounced collabs
