The First Descendant says over 75% of players who quit first are repeat deserters, announces tougher enforcement

Nexon has announced a new wave of enforcement actions for The First Descendant, revealing tougher measures against abusive behavior and repeated match desertion. In its latest weekly crackdown report, the developer confirmed that hundreds of players have been penalized while outlining new matchmaking restrictions aimed at improving the cooperative experience.

The announcement follows an internal review of player behavior between July 31 and August 6, during which Nexon found that repeated desertion in Onslaught Stages 3 and 4 had become a growing problem. According to the studio, approximately one in every seven matches now includes a player leaving early, while more than 75% of the first players to quit are repeat offenders. Nexon said these findings show that

“a small number of uncooperative users are harming the normal gameplay of others.” 

To address the issue before a permanent system is introduced, Nexon confirmed that repeat initial deserters will receive separate matchmaking restrictions starting August 7. The developer said penalties will be based on gameplay records, with enforcement results included in future weekly crackdown reports.

The latest enforcement actions also targeted other forms of rule-breaking. Five accounts received permanent bans for creating, distributing, or using unauthorized programs, while four additional accounts were permanently banned for exploiting the Open Store payment process. Another four players received seven-day trading restrictions after abnormal transaction records were detected.

The largest action involved 280 players, who were issued three-day separate matchmaking penalties for unusual gameplay activity in accordance with Nexon’s operational policies.

Nexon encouraged players to continue using the game’s built-in reporting system whenever they encounter suspicious or disruptive behavior, adding that it will continue monitoring gameplay and refining its enforcement systems to ensure a fair environment for all Descendants.