The First Descendant hit the scene like a freight train. Within days of its July 2024 launch, it wasn't just another looter-shooter; it was the game everyone was talking about, for better or worse. Nexon’s flashy Unreal Engine 5 project pulled in over 260,000 concurrent players on Steam alone during its opening week. People were obsessed with the boss fights, the "thirst-trap" character designs, and the endless grind for ultimate parts. But then, as happens with almost every live-service game, the honeymoon phase ended.
Now, if you look at the charts, you'll see a different story.
Honestly, the The First Descendant player count looks like a steep mountain on a graph—one where the climbers are all heading down toward the base. By late 2024 and heading into 2025, those massive 200k peaks turned into daily averages hovering around 20,000 to 40,000 on PC. Does that mean the game is dying? Not necessarily. It means it’s finding its "floor."
The SteamDB Trap and Why Console Numbers Matter
Most people looking for the The First Descendant player count just go to SteamDB. It’s easy. It’s public. It’s also only half the story—actually, probably about a third of it.
Nexon’s shooter is a cross-platform title. It’s on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and last-gen consoles too. Historically, games like this—think Warframe or Destiny 2—often have a surprisingly massive footprint on consoles that PC players completely ignore. When the Steam numbers show 30,000 players, the total across all platforms is likely closer to 80,000 or 100,000.
🔗 Read more: The Mojang Leak 3 Years Later: What Really Happened with the Spicewood Roadmap
The drop-off is real, though. You can't ignore a 90% dip in peak concurrents without acknowledging that something changed. The initial "tourist" crowd left. These are the players who jump into every free-to-play game, play for ten hours, realize they don't want to spend 40 hours grinding for a single 6% drop-rate item, and then delete it. That’s normal.
What's more concerning for a live-service game isn't the total number of people who left, but the frequency with which the "core" players are logging in. Nexon has been aggressive with patches. They’ve fixed things that players hated—like the original "void fragment" farm—which shows they are at least listening.
Understanding the Seasonal Cycle
Gaming has changed. We don’t play one game forever anymore. We play in bursts.
When Season 1 "Invasion" launched, the The First Descendant player count spiked. People came back for Hailey. They came back to see the new boss mechanics. Then, once they unlocked what they wanted, they logged off. This "sawtooth" pattern on player graphs is the new reality. If you see the numbers dip in the middle of a month, it usually just means there isn't a limited-time event running.
Why the Grind is Killing the Count (and Saving It)
It's a paradox.
The game’s biggest weakness is the grind. It is punishing. To get Ultimate Bunny or Ultimate Gley without spending a dime, you’re looking at a time investment that feels like a part-time job. This drives away the casual crowd. I’ve seen countless Reddit threads where players announce their "retirement" because they ran the same mission 50 times and didn't get the blueprint they needed.
But that same grind is what keeps the "whales" and the hardcore fans around. Without that carrot on a stick, the The First Descendant player count would be at zero.
Nexon is walking a razor's edge here. They need to keep the items rare enough that people feel a sense of prestige (or a desire to spend money), but common enough that they don't feel like they're wasting their lives. The introduction of "pity" mechanics—or at least better ways to target-farm—has been a major point of contention in the community.
Compare it to Warframe. Warframe has had over a decade to figure out its economy. The First Descendant is still in its infancy. It’s messy.
Technical Hurdle: Optimization and Performance
You can't talk about player retention without talking about how the game actually runs.
💡 You might also like: Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Trophy Guide: How to Actually Hit That Platinum
At launch, it was a bit of a disaster for some. High-end PCs were sweating, and consoles were struggling with frame rates in busy zones. Even now, some players report stuttering after long sessions. If a game feels bad to play, people won't stay. Nexon has been pushing out "Hotfixes" at a breakneck pace—sometimes multiple times a week.
- Optimization: It's getting better, but Unreal Engine 5 is heavy.
- Microtransactions: The pricing for skins and "convenience" items is high. This is a massive barrier for player growth.
- Content Variety: Running the same "Infiltration" missions over and over gets old.
If they want the The First Descendant player count to stabilize, they need more than just new characters. They need new ways to play. The "Invasion" dungeons were a step, but the reception was mixed because they initially felt too much like solo puzzles in a co-op game.
The Competition is Fierce
The First Descendant isn't playing in a vacuum. It’s competing for time with giants.
- Warframe: The gold standard for free-to-play looter shooters.
- Destiny 2: Despite its ups and downs, it still has the best "gun feel" in the industry.
- New Releases: Every time a new "hot" game drops (like Black Myth: Wukong or Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2), the Descendant numbers take a hit.
The reality is that most players have a "main" game and a "side" game. The First Descendant is fighting to be the "main," but for many, it's becoming a game they visit for two weeks every three months.
Is the Game Actually "Dead"?
No.
A "dead" game is something like Concord or LawBreakers—games where you literally cannot find a match. In The First Descendant, matchmaking for popular Colossus fights like Dead Bride or Devourer is still nearly instant. The community is active, the fan art is... well, it’s everywhere, and the developers are making money.
A steady base of 30,000 to 50,000 concurrent players across all platforms is enough to sustain a high-budget live-service game, provided the monetization is working. Nexon is a massive company; they don't need 200,000 players every day to keep the lights on. They just need a dedicated core that buys the Battle Pass and the occasional Ultimate bundle.
The "death" narrative is often pushed by people who want to see the game fail because of its aggressive monetization. While those criticisms are valid, they don't reflect the actual stability of the server populations.
What to Watch Moving Forward
The future of the The First Descendant player count depends on the next three "Mega-Updates."
If Nexon continues to add characters that look great but don't add meaningful gameplay depth, the slow bleed will continue. However, if they lean into the "Mega-Dungeons" and raids they've teased—content that actually requires coordination and high-level builds—they might pull back the veteran players who left after finishing the story.
Keep an eye on the "Steam Reviews" too. They’ve fluctuated between "Mixed" and "Mostly Positive." When the reviews trend up, the player count usually follows a few weeks later as the "word of mouth" improves.
Actionable Steps for Current Players
If you’re currently part of the The First Descendant player count and feeling the burn, here is how to navigate the current state of the game:
Don't burn yourself out on 1% drops. If a farm is making you hate the game, stop. Focus on leveling different Descendants or weapons that have guaranteed paths. The game is much more enjoyable when you aren't treating it like a slot machine.
Use the World Chat and Discord. Solo play is where players go to die. Find a group. The game’s difficulty spikes in the Hard Mode Colossus fights are designed for team synergy. Joining a dedicated "Infiltration" group can cut your farm time in half.
Watch the Patch Notes weekly. Nexon is changing drop rates and mission structures constantly. You don't want to be farming an old, inefficient route when a new hotfix just made a different mission twice as rewarding.
👉 See also: Action turn based RPG: Why the genre is finally evolving past the 90s
Evaluate the Battle Pass carefully. Unlike some games, the value proposition here is polarizing. Look at the rewards and decide if you're actually going to play enough to reach the end. If the player count continues to drop, Nexon may buff the Battle Pass value to keep people logged in—wait for those shifts.
The game is in a transitional phase. It’s no longer the "shiny new toy," and now it has to prove it has the legs to last five years. Whether it becomes the next Warframe or the next Anthem depends entirely on how much Nexon is willing to prioritize player fun over short-term profit.
Check the in-game "Event" tab regularly. That’s usually where the most active player bubbles are concentrated. If you want fast matchmaking, follow the rewards. The numbers might be lower than they were in July, but the game is far from over. Keep an eye on the Season 2 and 3 roadmaps; those will be the true "make or break" moments for the community's longevity.