NEXON’s popular free-to-play looter shooter The First Descendant has just dropped its most ambitious update yet. The Season 3: Breakthrough Update, released August 7, 2025, is now live on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, packing in a wealth of new content—from a massive new open field and a playable Descendant, to hover bikes, powerful weapons, and the game’s first crossover with NieR: Automata.
A New Battlefield Awaits: Axion Plains
At the heart of the Breakthrough Update lies Axion Plains, a vast, mission-based open field once meant to be humanity’s second survival hub. Now abandoned due to unstable dimensional energy and Void Storms, Axion offers challenging rotating Battlefields, high-value rewards, and the debut of the Legion of Breach enemy faction.
Two major in-game events—Into the Axion Plains and Axion Plains Breakthrough—deliver daily and weekly missions with loot including Trigger Module boxes, a Serena Skin, and External Component Cores.
Meet Nell – The New Descendant
The update introduces Nell, a versatile fighter with powerful crowd control, debuffs, and support capabilities.
Key Abilities:
- Breach Discharge: Piercing attacks with bonus damage to scanned targets.
- Ring of Breach: Creates a growing debuff zone that can explode for heavy damage.
- Gravitic Reversal: Pulls enemies into a Breach and damages them.
- Gaze of the Abyss: Grants Weak Point buffs to allies and boosts attack potential.
With her Transcendent Modules—Restored Heart for ally buffs and Shattered Heart for high-damage combos—Nell is equally effective as a support or DPS specialist.
First-Ever NieR: Automata Crossover
The Breakthrough Update marks The First Descendant’s first official crossover, bringing fan-favorite NieR: Automata characters 2B and A2 into the game with themed skins, back attachments, and social emotes. Event rewards are tied to daily and weekly playtime.
New Arsenal and Vehicles
- Ultimate Weapons:
- Eraser (Scout Rifle) – Disables adaptive defenses and deals AoE damage.
- Exterminator (Launcher) – Locks onto enemies and rains down missile barrages.
- Hover Bikes: Available in Standard, Speed, and Balanced models, Hover Bikes can be ridden across Axion Plains and other open areas. Customization options are planned for future updates.
Major Encounters & Raids
- Wall Crasher: An 8-player co-op boss with massive AoE attacks, best tackled with teamwork.
- Storm Hanger: A new electric attribute boss in Abyss Intercept, requiring core destruction to drop its EMP shield.
Quality of Life & Player Progression
The Descendant Boost-Up and Boost Path events make it easier for newcomers to skip early-game grind and jump into mid-game action, complete with rewards and guided progression.
The update also introduces Trigger Modules, a new skill customization system unlocked at Level 40. Nine modules launch with this update, with more arriving monthly.
Cosmetics & Extras
Players can unlock the Rider Skin, premium cosmetics for Enzo and Ines, and special event rewards tied to Nell’s debut.
With its sweeping map expansion, powerful new hero, high-octane crossover, and meaningful progression changes, The First Descendant’s Breakthrough Update is its biggest evolution yet. Whether you’re in it for the loot, the lore, or the hover bike joyrides, now is the perfect time to dive in.
For more details, visit tfd.nexon.com or by following on X (formerly Twitter), liking on Facebook, catching updates on YouTube.
