The First Descendant is an upcoming free-to-play sci-fi looter-shooter similar to games like Outriders and Warframe. It's being developed on Unreal Engine 5 and features photo-realistic visuals and fast-paced visceral combat with a focus on buildcrafting.
Nexon Games, the Korea-based studio behind The First Descendant continues to reveal more info about the game as we head toward the cross-platform open beta where you can finally try the game for yourself. But before that happens, here's everything you need to know about The First Descendant to get excited, including its release date, story, playable characters, gameplay, and more.
18 September 2023 Update: This article is up to date with everything related to The First Descendant.
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The First Descendant Latest News
IGN has revealed the first 17 minutes of The First Descendant gameplay. There are plenty of cutscenes here, and early gameplay spoilers, so watch it at your own risk.
Nexon Games has revealed a brand new teaser trailer for the stealth-focused Descendant Sharen, showcasing some of her abilities in action.
Nexon Games revealed a brand new gameplay trailer for The First Descendant at the Gamescom ONL event showcasing new environments, characters, weapons, and more. Check out the two-minute long trailer below.
A new trailer for The First Descendant is set to drop at the Gamescom Opening Live Event. If you didn't know, Gamescom ONL takes place on 22 August 2023 at 8 PM CEST.
The First Descendant PS5 Gameplay Features Revealed
Nexon Games has revealed a brand new PS5 gameplay trailer for The First Descendant, detailing all the DualSense functionalities and the different graphics modes for the upcoming open beta. You could read all about The First Descendant's PS5 bells and whistles in our breakdown here.
The First Descendant Bunny Gameplay Trailer Revealed
Nexon Games has revealed the first gameplay trailer for the Nuker Descendant Bunny. The 50-second-long trailer showcases her agility and lightning abilities in action.
The First Descendant Supports Nvidia DLSS 3
In a new blog post, Nvidia has confirmed that the First Descendant will launch with Nvidia DLSS 3 support. It means improved performance on all GeForce RTX 40 Series cards.
The First Descendant Release Date & Platforms
The First Descendant will be released in the fourth quarter of 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. As mentioned previously, a cross-platform beta is also planned from 19 September 2023 to 25 September 2023.
The First Descendant Story & Characters
The First Descendant takes place in the war-torn Continent of Ingris. You play as one of the Descendants, a group of superhumans gifted with physical and magical abilities from their ancestors.
As a Descendant, your job is to protect Ingris from an enemy faction called Vulgus, whose leader has been raising Hell all over the continent. You play as one of the thirteen Descendants, each with unique skills, abilities, and combat style.
These characters are:
- Lepic
- Ultimate Lepic
- Ajax
- Viessa
- Jayber
- Sharen
- Gley
- Blair
- Bunny
- Freyna
During the Extended Xbox Games Showcase 2023, Nexon revealed three new characters coming to the cross beta. These are:
- Ultimate Viessa
- Kyle
- Valby

The First Descendant Gameplay
As mentioned previously, The First Descendant is a third-person looter shooter where you fight against alien enemies. Traversal is a huge aspect of gameplay, and you can use a grappling hook to get around the world of Ingris.
There are gigantic boss raids that you can pursue solo or with three additional players. The boss battles mostly boil down to targeting the enemy's weak points.
Every character favors different playstyles and has unique active and passive abilities. For instance, one of the characters, Valby, can execute water elemental attacks, whereas another character Ultimate Viessa, can apply magnetic defenses to fly around the battlefield.

Will There Be Microtransactions in the First Descendant
Yes, there will be microtransactions in The First Descendant since it's a free-to-play title. However, Nexon Games has confirmed that new characters and gear can be earned through gameplay. However, several cosmetic items could still be available to purchase with real money like most free-to-play titles.

That's everything you need to know about The First Descendant.