Nexon is looking to break new ground with free-to-play MMORPG looter shooter The First Descendant come July 2. It tells a story that aims to combine fantasy with science fiction, while combining a huge cast of 19 playable characters and the graphical capabilities of Unreal Engine 5. With the latest trailer and a full release date in hand, there's never been a more exciting time to be a fan of The First Descendant.

After the trailer was revealed at Summer Game Fest, Game ZXC sat down with director Minseok Joo to discuss The First Descendant and what fans can expect from it at launch. Players may be happy to hear about how the characters are seen as a massive selling point to the game, that replayability is an important aspect of the game's design, and that The First Descendant looks to Destiny when it comes to its future roadmap.

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The First Descendant - Launch Date Reveal

The First Descendant is a third-person shooter developed by Nexon Games, where you become a Descendant to defend humanity against the invaders.

The Last Descendant May Have Plans For the Next 19 Years

Any live-service game needs to strike the right balance between planning ahead and not counting too many chickens before they hatch. For example, Destiny 2 had a ten-year plan as to where it was going, which came full circle with The Final Shape. Director Minseok Joo stated the team has watched this plan play out and has taken inspiration from Destiny on how to handle its own content going forward, especially when it comes to revealing the stories of each Descendant.

As a development team that's making a looter shooter game for the first time, we do look to Destiny for reference, Warframe, and so on. What caught our attention was that Warframe very actively serves and communicates with its players. That's something we feel we are good at, especially with an MMORPG.

With a similar approach to Destiny 2 and Warframe in mind, it'll be interesting to see how that develops. Similar to Destiny's 10-year plan is The First Descendant's character-focused plan, at least to some degree. The game director explained that the team has plans involving "a storyline for each Descendant per season" delving into each character's "experience, trauma, or background history." How long that lasts exactly remains to be seen, but it's worth noting that these plans are very loosely structured. Ultimately, the studio aims to take each season one step at a time.

The Last Descendant Shoots For the Moon So It Can Land Among the Stars

While there are a number of live-service titles that have managed to make it to the incredible 10-year milestone, there's a reason why such a feat is worth celebrating. Many games announce end of service within their first few years of operation for a variety of reasons. This is why, despite the grand plan that lingers in the studio's mind, the director and team are focused on smaller goals that develop into the bigger picture over time.

In order to meet that goal, they're doing little by little to approach what I have planned. We are trying to constantly update the content...These changes could help it go on longer, go on for a while.

As a result, there's quite a lot coming to The First Descendant in the near and far future from the future trading system to the larger goals that linger in the development team's mind. Between the way that The First Descendant aims to make sure looting remains fun and worthwhile rather than a chore to the dedication that the team has for spotlighting its characters over time, it's clear that the players and the game take precedence over any huge, lofty promises. Looter shooter fans should most certainly keep their eyes on The First Descendant as a result, as it may be exactly what they're looking for once they've made their way through The Final Shape.