If you've spent any time grinding for new weapons or unlocking characters in The First Descendant, you've probably wondered how the whole franchise got its start. You're far from the only one, either: thousands of players each month search for what year did the first Descendants come out, and most end up confused by conflicting info about beta tests, regional early access, and even unrelated IPs with the same name. We're breaking down all the facts here, no confusing jargon or half-true rumors, so you'll have the full picture of the game's launch and how it shaped the version you play today.
What Year Did the First Descendants Come Out? Exact Release Breakdown
The official full global launch of The First Descendant happened in 2024, but there were multiple pre-launch testing phases in the 12 months before that left many fans confused about the actual release date. I remember seeing tons of TikTok clips of the closed beta back in 2023, and I almost thought the game was out already too, until I tried to download it and realized it was only for selected testers. If you've only been playing for a few months, you might not realize how much hype surrounded the answer to what year did the first Descendants come out in the year leading up to launch.
To clear up all confusion, here are the key milestones leading up to the full release:
- November 2023: First closed beta test for select PC and console players, limited to North America and Europe, with only 7 playable characters available
- March 2024: Open beta test available across all platforms, with cross-play enabled for the first time, and progress did not carry over to the full launch
- June 2024: Pre-load goes live for all pre-order customers, with exclusive early access to two playable characters and a limited-edition weapon skin set
- July 2, 2024: Full global launch of The First Descendant, available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One with full cross-save support for all players
Cross-platform support from day one was one of the biggest selling points that helped it hit 10 million players in its first two weeks post-launch. The devs also released a full 8-hour story campaign at launch, which was a nice change from other live service looter shooters that often ship with only a few hours of story content.
How The First Descendant's Launch Differed From Other Looter Shooters
Most live service looter shooters have notoriously rough launches, with missing features, buggy gameplay, and very little endgame content for players who grind through the main story fast. The First Descendant avoided a lot of these pitfalls because the dev team spent almost a full year collecting feedback from beta testers and adjusting the game accordingly before the official release.
Player feedback from beta tests directly shaped 30% of the launch content, including quality of life changes like faster inventory management, lower grind for early character upgrades, and additional story missions for the first act. For example, a lot of beta players complained that the first boss fight against the Devourer was too unforgiving for new players, so the devs adjusted its attack patterns and added more checkpoints before the fight for the full launch.
Another big difference was that the devs released a free battle pass for the first season at launch, which was a surprise for many fans who expected a paid-only premium pass. The free pass included 50 tiers of rewards, from weapon skins to character upgrade materials, so even players who didn't want to spend extra money had something to work toward in their first few weeks of play.
Common Misconceptions About The First Descendant's Release Date
One of the most common reasons people get confused when asking what year did the first Descendants come out is that they mix up the game with the Disney Descendants movie franchise, which first launched in 2015. The two properties have no connection at all, aside from sharing the word "Descendants" in their names, so that's where a lot of the 2015 release date rumors for the game come from.
Another common misconception is that the 2023 closed beta was the full launch. A lot of big gaming content creators got access to the closed beta and posted hours of gameplay online, so casual viewers who didn't read the fine print assumed the game was already out for everyone. There is no earlier "Korea-only" version of the full game either, despite what some forum posts might claim: the July 2024 launch was the first time the full, complete game was available anywhere in the world, including South Korea.
Some players also think that early access pre-order players got to keep their progress from the open beta, but that's not true. All progress from both the closed and open betas was wiped before the full launch, so everyone started on equal footing when the game officially released in 2024.
How The Original Launch Shaped The Game's Current Community
The decision to launch with full cross-play and cross-save support meant that the game's community never got split by platform, which is a problem a lot of other live service games still struggle with today. Friends who play on different consoles can team up without any issues, and you can switch between PC and console whenever you want without losing your progress or unlocked items.
Plenty of new players who join the game today don't even know the answer to what year did the first Descendants come out, because the devs have kept the core content so well updated that it doesn't feel like a game that's only been out for a short time. The game's 10 million launch player count makes it one of the fastest-growing looter shooters of the past five years, which is a big achievement for a brand new IP from Nexon.
The devs' commitment to listening to player feedback starting all the way back in the beta phase also built a lot of trust with the community, so players are more likely to stick around when new updates drop. If you're a new player joining now, you don't have to worry about being locked out of old content either: you can still access all launch-era story missions at any point in your playthrough, so you don't have to rush through content to catch up with older players.
Now you know the full answer to what year did the first Descendants come out, plus all the context around its launch that most casual fans don't know. Whether you're a new player just getting started or a long-time fan who's been playing since the beta days, it's fun to look back at how much the game has evolved in such a short time. If you're just jumping in for the first time, take your time playing through those launch-era story missions, they set up all the lore for the big seasonal updates that have come out since.