With all the comparisons between The First Descendant and Warframe, it’s easy to lose track of another game: MapleStory. What does a 2D MMO from 2012 teach us about monetization in Nexon’s new free-to-play looter-shooter? A lot, it turns out. Both games have stoked fears of aggressive and exploitative monetization models within their respective communities. The good news is that Nexon has seemingly listened to player feedback and is reworking monetization in The First Descendant to make it somewhat less predatory. Here’s what’s changed for good and what we still don’t know.
The First Descendant’s Pricy Coat of Paint
The First Descendant has a shiny coat of paint thanks to Unreal Engine 5, but it was another coat of paint that caused controversy amongst players. Recoloring your armor used to entail a predatory gacha mechanic that made microtransactions the only realistic option if you wanted to customize your character’s look. The Spectrum Color Combiner was a terrible design decision, but Nexon has changed it following backlash from players. It’s also reportedly removing the Battle Coin system so that you don’t require that additional currency. That should make the Battle Pass more forgiving.
It appears that monetization in The First Descendant will now function much more like Fortnite and other games. There’s a premium Battle Pass as well as a microtransaction shop, giving players a couple of ways to buy and earn rewards outside of the core gameplay loop. That said, it seems that Nexon is still making tweaks to monetization. Considering the ongoing controversy involving MapleStory‘s monetization, players may want to approach The First Descendant with caution. Looter-shooters should be about raking in loot amid glorious explosions, not setting your credit card on fire.
