The First Descendant Anniversary Event: Free Character & Ultimate Weapons – Worth Jumping In?

I’ll be honest: I wasn’t sure The First Descendant would stick around to see a one-year anniversary. In a market jammed with free-to-play looter shooters, it’s far too easy for even the most stylish games to fade into obscurity unless the post-launch support delivers. But here we are. Nexon’s third-person shooter marks its first birthday with a chunky event-offering rare rewards, plenty of catch-up potential, and a reason for both curious newcomers and jaded veterans to check in. Here’s why this anniversary event stands out in the crowded F2P space-and what you really get out of it.

The First Descendant Anniversary-Event Delivers Big, But Is It Enough?

• Free Descendant character and up to 3 Ultimate Weapons—a no-nonsense boost for anyone’s roster, not just a cosmetic throwaway.
• Daily missions align with regular play—you don’t have to grind content you hate just to participate.
• Easy pickup for lapsed or new players—rewards arrive quickly, even if you start late.
• Season 3 and Nier Automata crossover on the way—this isn’t just a nostalgia event; bigger updates are looming.

Feature	Specification
Publisher	Nexon
Release Date	Anniversary Event Live Now; Ends August 6 (event), August 13 (shop)
Genres	Looter Shooter, Third-Person Shooter, MMO
Platforms	PC (Steam), PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

For anyone who played The First Descendant at launch and bounced off, I can see why you might need convincing. Early reviews called out grindy progression and a world filled with the same icon-chasing you see in every service shooter post-Destiny. But Nexon, for all its reputation as a live service gatekeeper, has kept adding new content and seems determined to avoid letting the game wither—unlike some of its F2P competition.

This anniversary event, then, feels like a genuine olive branch. Log in, do the stuff you’d normally do—be it recycling through missions, boss hunts, or regional runs—and you’ll rack up “Anniversary Tokens” without any weird limited-time grind. Anais, the vendor in Albion’s main hub, will trade tokens for a pretty tempting array of rewards: sure, there are costumes and sprays if you want to deck out your mains, but the meat here is the Descendant Purchase Ticket and Ultimate Weapon Selection Boxes. The former lets you grab an almost-any character you want for free (just not this season’s newest arrivals), and the latter… three (!) Ultimate Weapons. In a game that usually asks a fair grind or real cash for premium unlocks, that’s a pleasant surprise.

Given how easy it is to accumulate tokens (for example, 100 for five daily missions, another 200 for ten, and it scales up), you don’t even have to go no-lifing to score the key rewards. By service game standards, where “anniversary event” often means a handful of cosmetics and a login banner, The First Descendant is being almost generous here.

Why does this matter? Well, for competitive or group-centric looter shooters, the barrier is less about skill than catching up with the weapon meta and character roster. Letting you pick a new Descendant (character) can totally change your initial grind or give you a reason to experiment, and three Ultimate Weapons can flatten early-game power curves for anyone starting fresh. Pair that with Season 3’s arrival in August and the upcoming Nier Automata event, and it feels like Nexon’s quietly teeing up for a player surge. They want old players back, and for newcomers to actually stick.

Still, there are skeptical questions worth asking. Nexon is known for FOMO-driven monetization, and while the core event rewards are straightforward this time, it remains to be seen if power creep or a grind wall returns quickly post-event. Plus, the fact that the very latest characters are off-limits (no Keelan or Ines for free) is a reminder that the battle pass/seasonal churn isn’t going anywhere. If you’re hoping for a wholesale shift in business model, sorry—this is still a Nexon shooter at heart.

What This Means for Gamers: A Real Chance to Jump In—But Don’t Get Too Comfortable

From a veteran gamer’s perspective, I love events that lower the ladder for people who skipped launch day. The First Descendant’s anniversary is basically a built-in catch-up mechanic—the sort that keeps games like Warframe or Destiny alive year after year. Will it fix all of the endgame grind or monetization woes that turned off some early adopters? No, not overnight. But combined with a new season, the event makes for solid onboarding if you’re the type to get FOMO when you see friends gearing up for expansions.

Bottom line: If you like games that let you play how you want, without being forced into one mode or time window to get the “good stuff,” you’ll get your value out of this season’s event. Just know the generosity may not last forever.

TL;DR: Worth Playing for Anniversary, Good Timing for New/Returning Players

The First Descendant’s one-year bash isn’t just a login bonus—you genuinely get functional, game-impacting stuff: a free character of your choice and up to three Ultimate Weapons, with low commitment required. With Season 3 and a big Nier Automata crossover on the horizon, it’s easily the best window to try (or retry) a game that’s still searching for its forever audience. Just remember: generous events don’t erase the realities of F2P design, but they sure help take the sting out of jumping in (or back) fresh.