Claiming Free In-Game Rewards and Exclusive Items in The First Descendant

The free-to-play online co-op looter shooter, The First Descendant, has offered a variety of promotional opportunities for players to obtain free in-game items, currency, and characters. These initiatives, organised by the game's publisher Nexon, have included limited-time events, anniversary celebrations, and Twitch Drops programmes. This article outlines the available free offers based on official announcements and verified reports, detailing the types of rewards, eligibility requirements, and redemption processes.

Free Rewards for Limited-Time Events

Nexon has periodically released free in-game rewards to commemorate specific game updates or events. These are typically distributed to all players automatically or require simple claim actions within the game.

First Major Update Rewards

To celebrate the game's first significant update, Nexon provided a set of free boosts to all players. The rewards were sent via the in-game Mailbox on August 2, between 12:00 am and 11:59 pm Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). Players were required to claim these items from their Mailbox before August 8 at 11:59 pm PDT.

The specific free items included: * Gold Boost +30% * Kuiper Shard Boost +30% * Descendant EXP Boost +30% * Weapon Mastery EXP Boost +30%

Each boost had a three-day activation period, meaning they remained active for that duration once engaged by the player.

Winter Festival Attendance Check

During the Season 2 launch, a Winter Festival event offered daily rewards for logging into the game. The rewards accumulated over consecutive days of play. For logging in for just one day, players received Descendant Exchange Tokens. These tokens allow the player to unlock any character from the game's roster, which is a significant benefit as some characters are otherwise costly.

The First Anniversary Event

Nexon celebrated the game's first anniversary with a major in-game event that provided substantial free rewards. The event ran from July 3 to August 13. Players could earn Anniversary Tokens by completing daily missions, such as intercept battles, infiltration operations, and regional missions. Completing five daily missions awarded 100 tokens, while completing ten awarded an additional 200 tokens.

These tokens could be exchanged with the character Anais in the Albion hub for the following free items: * One free character of choice (excluding newer seasonal additions like Serena, Keelan, Hailey, and Ines). Each character cost 300 tokens. * Up to three Ultimate Weapons, which are among the strongest gear in the game. Each Ultimate Weapon cost 200 tokens. * 10 million gold or 1 million Kuiper Shards. * A selection of cosmetics, emotes, and Photo Mode items.

Twitch Drops Programmes

The First Descendant has utilised the Twitch Drops programme to reward viewers for engaging with the game on the streaming platform. These programmes are time-limited and require viewers to link their Twitch and game accounts to claim the rewards.

Season 0 and Beta Twitch Drops

During the game's initial launch period and Crossplay Open Beta, Twitch Drops were available. A report from esports.gg notes that a Drops campaign began on August 30, though the specific year is not stated in the provided data. The rewards for these early campaigns included items such as Twitch Colour Paints for the character Bunny.

Season 1 Twitch Drops

A specific Twitch Drops campaign for Season 1 was active from July 2 to July 29, 2024. This programme offered five distinct rewards to viewers who watched partnered Twitch streams of The First Descendant.

The rewards were unlocked cumulatively based on total watch time, not requiring a single continuous session: * Reward 1: Unlocked after watching 15 minutes. * Reward 5: Unlocked after watching 120 minutes.

To claim these drops, viewers had to: 1. Link their Twitch account to their The First Descendant game account. 2. Watch a partnered Twitch stream for the required duration. 3. Manually claim each reward from their Twitch Drops inventory once the watch time threshold was met.

Once claimed on Twitch, the items would appear in the in-game Mailbox. Players needed to open each separate message in the Mailbox and press the redeem button (e.g., "X" on a controller) to add the items to their inventory. The rewards could then be used immediately.

Eligibility and Access

The availability of these free offers is subject to specific conditions. All programmes are tied to owning a free-to-play copy of The First Descendant on a supported platform, which includes Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. The game supports cross-play and cross-save.

For event-based rewards, the primary eligibility requirement is logging into the game during the specified event period. For Twitch Drops, the essential steps are linking accounts and meeting the watch time requirements during the active campaign dates.

It is important to note that some free character offers may exclude the most recently added characters. For instance, the anniversary event specified that the free character reward excluded newer seasonal additions like Serena, Keelan, Hailey, and Ines.

Claiming Process and Important Deadlines

The process for claiming free rewards varies depending on the source:

In-Game Mailbox: Most automatic rewards, such as the free boosts from the first update and Twitch Drops, are delivered to the player's in-game Mailbox. Players must manually open the Mailbox, select each item, and confirm the redemption. These items often have expiration dates for claiming (e.g., August 8 for the first update rewards).
Event Vendors: Rewards earned through token systems, like the anniversary event, are claimed from specific in-game characters. Players must visit Anais in the Albion hub and exchange their earned tokens for the desired items.
Twitch Drops: These require a two-step claim process: first on the Twitch platform (from the Drops inventory) and then in the game's Mailbox.

Players are advised to monitor official game announcements and the in-game event calendar for current and upcoming free offer opportunities, as dates and rewards are specific to each campaign.

Conclusion

The First Descendant has provided multiple avenues for players to obtain free in-game content, including boosts, currency, characters, weapons, and cosmetic items. These opportunities are typically tied to specific time-limited events, such as game updates, anniversary celebrations, and Twitch Drops campaigns. To benefit from these offers, players must actively log in during the event periods, complete required tasks like daily missions, or fulfil Twitch viewing requirements. All rewards must be claimed through the in-game Mailbox or by exchanging tokens with non-player characters before any stated deadlines. As these offers are promotional and time-sensitive, staying informed through official game channels is essential for UK players seeking to enhance their experience without additional cost.