GDC 2025 Session Viewer
The First Descendant: Persevering Through a 57 Metacritic as a Live Service Game (Presented by NEXON)
Beom-jun Lee (Producer, NEXON Games)
Location: Room 2000, West Hall
Date: Thursday, March 20
Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Core Pass, Summits Pass, Expo Pass, Audio Pass, Indie Games Summit Pass - Get your pass now!
Track: Production & Team Leadership
Format: Sponsored Session
Vault Recording: TBD
Audience Level: All
NEXON’s The First Descendant achieved a remarkable success at launch, topping Steam’s Top Sellers list despite receiving a low Metacritic score of 57. The team faced significant challenges but worked tirelessly to resolve issues, steadily earning the game growing support from its player community. This session explores the obstacles The First Descendant faces as a live-service game, the strategies the team employs to overcome these challenges, and the methods it uses to re-engage players and rebuild lasting trust. It also highlights the team’s vision for the game’s exciting future and shares key lessons for fostering sustainable growth and long-term player satisfaction.
Takeaway
Through the session, attendees can gain insights into the various challenges that large live-service games can encounter at launch. Through the issues addressed in The First Descendant and both short-term and long-term strategies implemented, participants can better understand effective approaches to managing live-service games.
Intended Audience
This session provides valuable insights for developers and publishing professionals involved in creating and managing live-service games, with particularly useful takeaways for key project leaders and managers.
