Major Multiplayer Game Ends PS4 Support One Year Post-Launch

When The First Descendant hit the market last July, it generated quite a buzz. During its debut month, it amassed an impressive player count, peaking at over 264,000 users. However, this initial enthusiasm has waned, with a significant drop in active players since then. Nonetheless, Nexon, the game’s developer, has diligently released updates and new content across all platforms—at least until June 19.

In a recent developer livestream discussed on ResetEra, Nexon revealed that it would be discontinuing support for the PS4 and Xbox One versions of The First Descendant. This decision comes just shy of the game’s first anniversary. The primary reason? As the game expands, maintaining these last-gen versions has posed a significant challenge. As the developers put it, a lot of effort and difficulty have gone into keeping the PS4 and Xbox One builds up to date.

For players on the PS4, this means that come June, The First Descendant will no longer be playable, and it will be removed from the PlayStation Store. Fortunately, there’s a silver lining: player progress is transferable. So, if PS4 users upgrade to a PS5 before June 19, they can pick up right where they left off on the newer console.

The First Descendant is a free-to-play third-person looter shooter that received a mixed reception upon its release. It holds an average score of 57 on Metacritic from 21 critic reviews, with a “Mixed” rating from Steam users as well. While many players enjoy the game’s initial stages and grind, its endgame content has been a point of contention.

Adding to its challenges, The First Descendant faced accusations of plagiarism against developer Bungie shortly after launch, with claims of borrowing art from Destiny. In response, Nexon committed to ensuring that any potentially similar imagery distinctly represents the game’s unique identity.