NEXON’s flagship looter-shooter, The First Descendant, is about to break boundaries. At PAX East 2025, the development team dropped a bombshell of content updates during a live developer stream, officially unveiling the highly anticipated Season 3: Breakthrough update—set to launch this summer. With an all-new battlefield, Hover Bikes, colossal 8-player raids, fresh characters, and the game’s first-ever crossover with NieR: Automata, Season 3 promises to be the biggest evolution yet for the Unreal Engine 5-powered RPG.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Breakthrough update and what’s coming next to The First Descendant.
🚨 Season 3: Breakthrough — Everything Announced at PAX East 2025
During the livestream hosted by Executive Producer Beomjun Lee and Creative Director Minseok Joo, fans got a first look at the enormous wave of content arriving in The First Descendant this summer.
🌌 New Battlefield: Axion Plains
Prepare to explore the Axion Plains, a sprawling new field once intended as a promising outpost—now ravaged by a deadly Void Storm and infested with colossal threats. With unpredictable enemies ranging from bioengineered monstrosities to evolved beasts, this massive zone promises intense open-world combat like never before.
🏍️ Hover Bikes Take the Field
High-speed traversal arrives in The First Descendant with the introduction of Hover Bikes. Players can:
- Claim a standard Hover Bike by simply logging in during Season 3
- Unlock enhanced Accelerated and Boosted versions through in-game exploration
- Upgrade bikes for boosting, jumping, and more dynamic movement
Hover Bikes redefine how players traverse large-scale zones—particularly when paired with upcoming raid content.
🧱 8-Player Colossus Raid: Wall Crasher
Get ready for one of the game’s most ambitious raids to date. The Colossus Field Raid features:
- 8-player co-op gameplay
- A brand-new boss: the monstrous Wall Crasher
- Epic-scale battles across the Axion Plains
- Integration with Hover Bike mechanics for engaging approach and retreat strategies
🛋️ New Social Feature: The Lounge
Step off the battlefield and into your own space with the introduction of The Lounge—a personal, customizable hub where you can:
- Interact with and display your Descendants
- Customize furniture and lounge aesthetics
- Show off collectibles like Colotoys
- Use skins and exclusive decor for personalization
This addition adds much-needed downtime and immersion beyond combat.
🌟 New Playable Descendant: Nell
Fan-favorite NPC Nell makes her playable debut this season. Sporting a brand-new look, Nell brings:
- Telekinetic-style abilities, manipulating spheres to debuff enemies and control space
- A unique passive that turns every bullet into a weak point strike, perfect for aggressive builds
🔥 Ultimate Descendants: Luna and Yujin Incoming
Ultimate Luna lands first with two new Transcendent Modules:
- One emphasizes firearm-focused gameplay
- The other boosts her signature rhythm-based, debuff-heavy style
Later in Season 3 – Episode 2, Ultimate Yujin will follow with additional high-level builds and new mechanics.
⚔️ New Weapon Class: Swords
Melee fans, rejoice—swords are finally coming to The First Descendant.
- Equip them in the same slot as firearms
- Perform normal and special attacks
- First type: Shadow Blade, with a deadly Iaijutsu-style dash
- Episode 2 will add two-handed greatswords and even a lightsaber-inspired weapon
- New dungeons designed around melee combat will debut alongside them
🤖 NieR: Automata Crossover Officially Confirmed
In its first-ever crossover, The First Descendant is teaming up with the beloved NieR: Automata universe. Expect:
- NieR-themed cosmetics and characters
- Full trailer reveal in the coming weeks
- More IP collaborations on the horizon
🎉 TFD Fest & Anniversary Celebration
As The First Descendant nears its one-year anniversary this July, Nexon is hosting the first TFD Fest:
- Live showcases
- In-game events
- Skin design contests
- Free items and community challenges
🗓️ Key Dates & What’s Next
- May 22, 2025 – New “Gilded Death Blossom” skin releases
- Summer 2025 – Season 3: Breakthrough launches with full content drop
- July 2025 – TFD Fest and 1st Anniversary celebrations kick off
💬 Join the Community Conversation
Want to stay on top of the latest updates, talk strategy, or share feedback with the devs? Join the growing First Descendant community:
- 🌐 Website: tfd.nexon.com
- 💬 Discord
- 🐦 X (formerly Twitter)
- 📺 YouTube
