My Favorite Shooter Just Stabbed 10 Million Players in the Back

By HOAR Team 15 June, 2025 5 mins read 3537 Views

I'm genuinely pissed right now.

So there I was, scrolling through my gaming feeds this morning with my coffee (terrible habit, I know), when I stumbled across news that made me nearly spit out my drink. The First Descendant – you know, that free-to-play looter shooter that had everyone and their grandmother downloading it last July – is about to pull the plug on PS4 and Xbox One players. We're talking June 19th. That's like... what, five days from now?

Wait, Didn't This Game Just Launch?

Here's the thing that's really grinding my gears. The First Descendant launched in July 2024. July! That's not even a full year ago, and they're already abandoning entire platforms. When it first dropped, this thing was everywhere – Windows PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One. The works. My buddy Jake spent hours convincing me to download it on his old PS4 because "it's free, dude, what's the worst that could happen?"

Well Jake, apparently the worst that could happen is getting kicked to the curb before your console even celebrates its first birthday with the game.

At its peak, we're talking 10 million players. Ten. Million. That's not some indie darling struggling to find an audience – that's a legitimate hit.

The Corporate Speak Translation

Producer Beom-Jun Lee said they're doing this with "much reluctance." (Sure, buddy.) The official line from Nexon is that they need to ditch the older consoles to make room for their next "mega season update." Because apparently, making a game better requires throwing millions of players under the bus.

Listen, I get it. Technology moves forward. But when you launch a game on a platform, there's an implied promise that you'll support it for more than 11 months. My phone gets longer support cycles than this game did on PS4.

The One Thing They Got Right

Okay, I'll give credit where it's due. At least affected players can transfer their account data to other platforms. So if you've been grinding for months building up your character, you won't lose everything – you'll just need to drop $300-500 on a new console to keep playing your "free" game.

The irony is delicious, isn't it?

Players Are Not Having It

The Reddit threads are absolutely brutal right now. One user summed it up perfectly: "This game came out in July last year, why the hell did they even bother with a PS4 version to begin with if it wasn't even going to make it a year?"

Another player wrote: "They shouldn't have even bothered with PS4 support to begin with then." And honestly? They're not wrong.

But then you get the other side of the argument. Someone posted: "I feel sad for PS4 players but its a 12 year old machine its time to jump on ps5, last generation is hold this current generation of games back."

Look, I understand both perspectives. The PS4 is getting long in the tooth – it launched back in 2013, which feels like a lifetime ago in gaming years. But here's the thing: if you're going to launch on a platform, commit to it for more than a hot minute.

What This Really Means

This whole situation feels like a bait-and-switch. Nexon got their initial player boost by casting the widest net possible, then decided the older consoles weren't worth the development hassle. It's a business decision dressed up as a technical necessity.

And you know what? Maybe they're right from a business standpoint. Maybe supporting older hardware is holding back their grand vision for the game. But that doesn't make it any less frustrating for the players who invested time and possibly money into a game that's now telling them to upgrade or get lost.

June 19th can't come fast enough – not because I'm excited for the update, but because I'm curious to see how this plays out. Will the remaining players stick around, or will this move backfire spectacularly?

Either way, I'm keeping my PS5. Just in case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are microtransactions in gaming?

Microtransactions are small financial transactions made within a game, usually for the purpose of purchasing virtual goods or enhancements. They are commonly found in free-to-play games and can range from cosmetic items to in-game currency or additional content.

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Esports refers to organized, competitive video gaming, often featuring professional players and teams. The growth of esports can be attributed to increased viewership, sponsorship deals, and the rise of online streaming platforms, making it accessible to a global audience.

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