Nothing is more terrifying for live-service games such as Marvel Rivals than discovering their active player base has drastically declined. As the primary source of interest and of course, revenue, this is undoubtedly an issue that needs to be addressed quickly to ensure the game’s survival. That is naturally harder said than done, and for Nexon, immediate help is desperately needed for its looter-shooter, The First Descendant.
Initially a proper hit at launch in July 2024, with active players reaching hundreds of thousands on Steam, The First Descendant, now in its second season, is now only retaining around 96% of its active players as reported by Forbes, and it has only been six months. Compared to the early days, the active player count is hovering just around 9,000, which is worrying.
This situation is indicative of the way the South Korean gaming market tends to trend, highlighting the challenges faced by the likes of Nexon Games to stay relevant in gamer’s minds. The First Descendant isn’t alone in feeling the heat, so to speak, as Blue Archive, the flagship mobile title from Nexon is also experiencing the same issues.
The First Descendant was lauded when it first launched for its high visual quality and commitment to delivering equally appealing characters. However, an unengaging story, an empty world, and a grindy end-game are often cited as reasons why the game has since lost many of its players.
Whether this is a turning point for the game remains to be seen. Nexon could very well decide to move on from the live-service title in pursuit of something fresh and new, or they could double down and try to improve the situation. In any case, the company has yet to comment on the situation, so for those who are still active in the game, the future looks murky at best.
