Although the recent release ofThe First Descendanthas been far from perfect, it’s still shaping up to be a promising looter-shooter, and one that could prove to be a serious competitor to some of the mainstream looter-shooters.The First Descendantstill arguably has a long way to go before it can overcome some of its rivals, but this kind of redemption story in the gaming industry isn’t unheard of.
One such recent game with an impressive redemption arc isWuthering Waves, a live-service RPG gacha game. While the future is uncertain,The First Descendantcould very well follow inWuthering Waves’ footsteps and prove to be the next best game in its respective genre.
The First Descendant Could Have a Similar Success Story as Wuthering Waves
Wuthering Waves Has One of the Biggest Redemption Arcs in the Gaming Industry
Wuthering Wavesgot off to a rough start, but the latest updates for the game have done a lot to correct the game’s criticisms. By now, plenty of the issues that the game originally faced have been resolved by some ofthe latest updates forWuthering Waves, and any remaining issues will likely be addressed in updates yet to come in the near future for the live-service title. Needless to say,Wuthering Waveswill continue to grow. Although, despite its launch issues,Wuthering Waveshas already done well considering the competition it faces among similar games, specifically regarding the game’s friendly rivalry withGenshin Impact.
In the short time since its release in late May 2024,Wuthering Wavesnearly surpassedGenshin Impact’s monthly revenuefigures at one point. This is quite surprising considering thatGenshin Impactis considered one of the biggest RPG gacha games available, so a new competitor likeWuthering Waveshaving such an impact during its recent and troublesome launch period was far beyond most expectations for the game.
The First Descendant’s Launch Issues Shouldn’t Send the Wrong Message
While server stability issues have led toThe First Descendantgetting off to a rough startsimilar toWuthering Waves, player counts for the looter-shooter tell a different story.The First Descendantwas among the top charts on Steam for live player counts immediately following its launch in early June 2024. So, without taking into account the game’s player counts on console platforms during its timeframe, or its revenue earned from microtransactions already,The First Descendantis already shaping up to be a big competitor to mainstream looter-shooters likeDestiny 2andWarframe.
On Steam,The First Descendant’s peak player count is currently 264,860.
The First Descendantis currently sitting at mixed reviews on Steam, with some players criticizing its performance, while others praise its gameplay. However, once the game’s technical issues get sorted out,The First Descendantcould very well turn out to have a similar success story asWuthering Waveshas had so far.
The First Descendant and Wuthering Waves Have the Benefit of a Fresh Start
One of the biggest appeals of newlive-service games likeThe First DescendantandWuthering Wavesis that their relatively recent releases provide a level playing field. Having years’ worth of content is never a bad thing, but this arguably becomes a double-edged sword when a game’s endgame becomes so convoluted or out-of-reach that it intimidates new players from committing to the game.
So, despiteWuthering WavesandThe First Descendantarguably being the underdogs in their respective genres for the time being, the accessibility that these games offer alongside the direction of future updates will potentially be these games’ tickets to success. Only time will tell how truly successful these two games are, butWuthering WavesandThe First Descendantare already shaping up to overtake some of their biggest rivals within their genres.
The First Descendant
WHERE TO PLAY
The First Descendant is a next-generation third-person co-op action RPG looter shooter featuring high-quality graphics created in Unreal Engine 5.Players become a Descendant whose mission is to combat alien invaders – The Vulgus who crossed dimensions over 100 years ago and brought with them the devastating Colossi and destruction – for the survival of humanity and to protect Albion and the continent of Ingris. Players will encounter spectacular stories of forces fighting over the Iron Heart as they grow stronger through various missions and raids.Encounter features that make The First Descendant’s gameplay unique: a variety of characters with unique concepts and combat styles, massive boss battles with up to four player co-op, free movement and coordinated action with grappling hooks, a variety of weapons and compelling customization options.
