The First Descendant Fell “Below Expectations”

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Summary

  • The First Descendant failed to retain players due to lack of fresh content, despite a strong start.
  • Nexon recorded record-breaking revenue in 2024, but The First Descendant fell below expectations.
  • Nexon partners with Tencent for Dungeon & Fighter in China, projects revenue increase for Q1 2025.

Initially, The First Descendant made quite an entrance when it debuted in July of the previous year. However, despite its initial success, the live-action loot shooter game struggled to keep a significant portion of its original players.

Although the free-to-play game started off well, publisher Nexon considers its performance to be “underperforming” compared to their initial expectations.

Despite The First Descendant’s Shortcomings, Nexon Still Posts Record-Breaking Revenue In 2024

In a recent financial update, Nexon disclosed their most recent annual earnings report (as reported by Games Industry). This reveal showed a 5% rise in revenue compared to the previous year, totaling approximately ¥446.2 billion or $2.94 billion.

For the year, the company achieved an all-time high in total annual revenue, with net earnings increasing by a substantial 84%. However, it’s worth noting that quarterly revenue for Q4 experienced a decrease of 6% compared to the same period last year.

Regarding The First Descendant, Nexon stated that the game’s performance fell short of expectations, primarily because fewer players visited due to a scarcity of new content. They did add that Season 2, released on December 5, helped maintain player engagement, although specific figures weren’t disclosed.

In the future, Nexon has partnered with Tencent to secure more creative tools for enhancing the Dungeon & Fighter series in China. This partnership involves Tencent offering additional production services, such as tailoring the game for local tastes, creating unique experiences, and adjusting the game to keep up with changing trends – all strategies designed to attract a diverse player base within China’s vast gaming market.

Nexon expects its revenue across Q1 2025 to increase 1% to 13% year-over-year.

Meanwhile, The First Descendant persists in its voyage of continuous updates and seasonal content during live service. However, specific numbers regarding monthly active players have yet to be disclosed, but here’s hoping that the game gains popularity as desired by Nexon.

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2025-02-18 21:09