The First Descendant developer Nexon has signaled the game will get one of the most-requested features since launch.
The free-to-play co-op focused looter shooter has progression systems that fuel a deep-rooted grind that in turn encourages players to jump into repeatable missions on hard mode in order to have a better chance of obtaining materials.
Currently, the only hard mode content with no matchmaking is Infiltration Operations. Hard mode on these Infiltration Operations offers an improved drop chance for certain loot, which means players are inclined to play them on hard rather than normal difficulty. But without matchmaking, you're forced to play Infiltration Operations on hard mode solo, which for some players isn't doable or, at the least, slows them down.
Now, Nexon has said a hotfix is incoming that includes "matchmaking for public Infiltration Operation (Dungeon) on Hard Mode." The news has certainly gone down well with fans who have praised the developer for acting quickly on feedback. “Kudos to the dev team, brilliant decision,” said redditor Sufficient_Theory534. “This will increase the longevity of the game exponentially.”
While Nexon is adding this much-requested feature, it has remained quiet on a number of controversies that have hit The First Descendant since it came out. For example, the company has yet to address The First Descendant’s ultra aggressive monetization, nor has it explained the remarkable similarities between icons used in The First Descendant and Bungie’s rival looter shooter, Destiny.
Still, The First Descendant is pulling in players, with a peak Steam concurrent player count of 264,860 so far — enough to break into the top five most-played games on Valve’s platform. Microsoft and Sony do not provide player numbers for PlayStation and Xbox. Check out IGN's The First Descendant review in progress to find out what we think of the game so far.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
