Single-use colors leave fans red-faced.
First Descendant's launch in early July has had a mixed reception. Players are enjoying the gameplay, but the game requires them to grind to get benefits. Recently, there has been a wave of outrage over the single-use colors in the game. Here's what you need to know about The First Descendant's monetization through customization.
Single Use Colors - A Symptom of First Descendant Monetization
With any MMO game, players love to share their unique builds in both form and function. A good customization system allows players to express their love for the game, often spending hours to get the perfect look.
Unlike many other games in the genre, though, First Descendant took a very different approach. Initially, the game included a paint gacha system. In this system, players would randomly unlock paints, instead of having any consistent way to acquire the preferred colors. That was quickly removed during the beta itself after player criticism. But the update brought with it a new single-use paint system.
The new customization method features colors that can be easily acquired through the battlepass or the shop. On the surface, that was a great change, and players seemed quite happy about it. But once the system was actually used in-game, the backlash only intensified.
The new paints are single-use. That means that every paint you acquire can only be used once. That means if you took your Twitch drop color and applied it to your first Descendant (say Ajax), and then acquired Bunny, to paint her you'd have to spend an additional $5. That racks up quite quickly, reaching $15 for just one loadout.
On top of that, colors can only be applied to Premium skins. That means even your shiny new Ultimate can't be colored immediately. That adds another purchase on top of the already increasing paint costs. One player even created a change.org petition, which currently has a handful of supporters.
Descendant Color (Free) + Weapon 1 ($5) + Weapon 2 ($5) + Weapon 3 ($5) = $15
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How does this compare to other Looter Shooters?
Digital Extremes' Warframe is often held up as the best monetization system in MMO games. And fans were quick to point to it as an example of what First Descendant's monetization could have been. The game not only features multi-use color palettes but also allows any skin to be colored. On top of that, the game's premium currency, platinum, can be freely traded and earned within the game's economy. That amounts to a total of $50 to own all 4950 colors forever.
I'm tired of seeing blue bunnies running everywhere..
What can players do to fix First Descendant's Monetization?
Players are already applying pressure to the developer through Reddit and Forum posts on the topic. But it's unlikely Nexon games will change anything if players, especially monetization whales, don't stop buying in. There are already numerous Ultimate Bunny ($100 if bought) skins on the battlefield, and that is unlikely to stop.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for more esports news and The First Descendant coverage.
