If you’re a fan of third-person looter shooters with flashy abilities, co-op play, and massive boss fights, you’ve probably seen hype for Nexon’s latest free-to-play title floating around for the past year. The First Descendant has already earned positive feedback during its multiple beta test phases, with players praising its smooth combat, deep customization, and crossplay support. It’s no surprise that one of the most common questions I see posted in community groups right now is when is The First Descendant coming out. I’ve been following official developer updates closely and participated in both closed and open betas, so I’ve put together all the latest confirmed details to answer that question and everything else you need to know before launch.
When is The First Descendant Coming Out? Official Release Timeline
Nexon has confirmed the global public launch date for The First Descendant is July 2, 2024, with a simultaneous release across all supported regions. The game will unlock at 10 AM UTC for all players, so you can convert that time to your local time zone to know exactly when you can jump in. You don’t need to wait for a regional rollout if you live in North America, Europe, or Asia, as everyone gets access at the same exact time.
Pre-order customers of the Ultimate Edition get 2 full days of early access before the global public launch. That means if you purchased the Ultimate pack, you can start playing as early as June 30, 2024 at 10 AM UTC. There are no other early access opportunities for free players, so you’ll have to wait until the July 2 launch date if you don’t want to buy a pre-order pack.
Devs have already confirmed there will be no server wipe between the final open beta and the full launch, so any progress you made during beta testing won’t carry over to the live game. That puts all players on a level playing field when the game officially launches, which is a big win for people who didn’t get a chance to participate in beta testing.
What Platforms Will The First Descendant Launch On?
The First Descendant is launching across almost all modern gaming platforms at once, with full crossplay and cross-progression support for every supported platform. That means you can play with your friends no matter what system they own, and you don’t have to worry about being locked to one device if you upgrade your console later. The game is completely free-to-play for all players, so you won’t have to pay anything to download the base version on any platform.
Cross-progression is enabled for all linked accounts, so you can switch between PC and console without losing progress. You just need to link your platform account to a free Nexon account, and all your Descendants, weapons, and cosmetic items will carry over no matter what device you log in from. The only exception is premium membership time, which is tied to the platform you purchased it on, but all other content is fully shareable across linked accounts.
Here’s a full breakdown of platform support for launch day:
- PC: Available on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Nexon Launcher, with full controller support for players who prefer it
- PlayStation: Launching for both PS4 and PS5, with enhanced 4K 60FPS performance on PS5 for supported displays
- Xbox: Available for Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X, plus included for Xbox Game Pass subscribers on launch day
- Nintendo Switch: No official launch date confirmed yet, but devs have stated they are exploring a port in the future
If you play on Xbox Game Pass, you’ll get access to the full base game for free as part of your subscription, no extra purchase required. You can still buy pre-order packs and in-game cosmetics if you want, but the core game is completely accessible to all Game Pass members on launch day.
Key Content Available at Launch
You don’t have to worry about the game feeling empty when it first launches, as Nexon has packed a ton of content into the day one build. There are 12 unique playable Descendants available at launch, each with their own signature abilities, playstyles, and customization options. You can unlock every single Descendant for free by earning in-game currency through missions, so you don’t have to spend real money to access any playable characters.
There are over 70 unique weapons available at launch, each with customizable mod slots to fit your playstyle. You can mix and match mods to boost damage, add elemental effects, or change how a weapon handles, so even two copies of the same gun can feel completely different depending on how you mod them. There are also hundreds of cosmetic items available for both Descendants and weapons, most of which you can earn for free by completing challenges and missions.
Co-op fans will be happy to know there are 4-player co-op missions available from launch, plus 8-player raid battles for endgame players. The Void Intercept Battle raid lets you fight massive, screen-filling bosses with a team to earn some of the highest tier loot in the game. I got to test a beta version of this raid, and it’s way more fun when you coordinate abilities with your team, so I recommend putting a group together before launch if you can.
Devs have already confirmed the first post-launch content update will drop 4 weeks after launch, adding a new playable Descendant, a new raid boss, and a brand new mission type. More updates are planned every 4 to 6 weeks after that, so you’ll have plenty of new content to look forward to after you finish the launch content.
Pre-Order Bonuses You Don’t Want to Miss
While the base game is completely free, there are two paid pre-order packs available for players who want extra cosmetic items and quality-of-life perks. Neither pack includes any pay-to-win content, so you won’t get any gameplay advantages if you buy them, they just add extra customization and convenience features. Packs are available for purchase on all supported platforms, and all bonuses will be applied to your account as soon as you log in for the first time.
The Standard Pre-Order Pack includes an exclusive ice-themed skin for the Descendant Viessa, 10 premium weapon mod crates, and 30 days of the game’s premium membership. The premium membership gives you extra XP boosts, increased loot drop rates, and an extra daily challenge slot, so it’s a good pick if you plan on playing a lot in the first month.
All pre-order bonuses are only available for purchase up until the official global launch time, so act fast if you want to claim them. The Ultimate Pre-Order Pack includes everything from the Standard Pack, plus 48 hours of early access, two extra exclusive Descendant skins, 50 premium weapon mod crates, 90 days of premium membership, an exclusive emote, and a limited-edition profile border. If you plan on playing the game long-term, the Ultimate Pack gives you the best value for your money, especially if you want to jump in early.
Don’t feel pressured to buy a pre-order pack if you don’t want to, though. The full base game is completely free, and you can earn almost all of the same mod crates and cosmetic items by playing the game normally. The only content you’ll miss out on is the limited-edition pre-order skins, which won’t be available for purchase after launch.
Now that you know when is The First Descendant coming out, you can start planning your launch day schedule and decide if you want to pick up a pre-order pack for extra perks. Whether you’re playing solo to work through the story, or grouping up with friends to tackle endgame raids, there’s something for every type of looter shooter fan in the launch build. I’ll be posting in-depth guides for the best Descendant builds, raid strategies, and loot farming tips in the first week after launch, so you can check back soon if you want to get a head start on your progression.