The First Descendant Publisher Nexon Says AI Isn’t Enough, “Context” Will Decide Winners

Nexon has shared a strong vision for the future of gaming, emphasizing that success in the AI-driven era will depend less on technology and more on something harder to replicate—context. Speaking at the 2026 Nexon Developers Conference, the company’s leadership highlighted how games like The First Descendant fit into a broader strategy built on long-term player engagement and accumulated experience.

The remarks come from Nexon Korea co-CEO Kang Dae-hyun, who delivered a keynote addressing how artificial intelligence is reshaping game development and what studios must do to stay competitive.

“Context” Emerges as the Key Competitive Advantage

During his keynote, Kang argued that while AI is rapidly lowering the barrier to entry in game development, it is not enough to guarantee success. Instead, he identified “context” as the most critical factor that will separate successful games from the rest.

“Now, games must compete through the depth of context, not based on how well they’re made,”

Kang said.

According to Kang, context refers to everything that surrounds a game beyond its core mechanics. This includes years of developer knowledge, player interactions, community discussions, and shared memories that build over time. He described this as “contextual capital,” suggesting that it is something developers cannot easily replicate with technology alone.

To illustrate this, Kang compared AI-generated content with assets created through long-term familiarity with a game. While AI outputs may appear visually accurate, they often lack the deeper understanding that comes from years of experience with a specific franchise.

A still from The First Descendant

The discussion comes at a time when AI tools are becoming more accessible across the gaming industry. From asset creation to game design, developers are increasingly relying on automation to streamline production.

However, Kang stressed that AI has its limits.

“Artificial intelligence can be bought, but accumulated intelligence can only be created with the time that one took to build context,”

he explained.

This distinction highlights a growing concern in the industry: while AI can accelerate development, it cannot replace the long-term relationships between developers and their communities. For Nexon, this means focusing on building games that evolve alongside their player base rather than relying solely on technological advancements.

The Role of “Compound Interest” in Game Development

Alongside context, Kang introduced another concept he believes will define success in modern gaming—“compound interest.” In this context, it refers to how both developers and players build value over time.

“Developers use the experience from the previous game to improve the completeness of the next game,”

Kang said.

“Players can take their gaming experiences outside the platform… creating their own content.”

This cycle of continuous improvement and community engagement creates a feedback loop that strengthens a game’s long-term success. For a live-service title like The First Descendant, this approach is particularly relevant, as ongoing updates and player interaction play a key role in sustaining interest.

Kang emphasized that even smaller projects can benefit from this model, noting that “the size of a starting point is not important,” as long as developers begin building context early.

Nexon Developers Conference Highlights Industry Shift

The keynote was delivered at the 2026 Nexon Developers Conference (NDC), one of South Korea’s largest gaming industry events. Now in its 19th year, the conference features dozens of sessions covering topics such as AI, game design, and data analysis.

With thousands of attendees and tens of thousands of online viewers, the event has become a major platform for discussing the future of game development. This year’s focus on AI reflects broader industry trends, as companies explore how to integrate new technologies without losing creative identity.