The New Ultimate Descendant Arrives with the “Cradle of Evolution” Dungeon, the Debut of Transcendent Weapon Trading, and Rebalances for Luna and Lepic
Seoul – September 16, 2026 – NEXON announced that Ultimate Hailey will headline the September 17 update for The First Descendant, the free-to-play dynamic looter shooter. Alongside the Ultimate version of the game’s Chill sniper, NEXON is adding a new dungeon, opening Transcendent Weapon trading for the first time, and rebalancing Descendants Luna and Lepic. The company detailed the full update during its September Update Dev Livestream video.
Assets can be found here
Learn about Hailey’s past and the reasoning behind her pursuit of perfection through a newly added storyline, including exclusive rewards for player progression.
Ultimate Hailey features:
- Dangerous Distance: An aggressive Skill Module where Chill Skill Power and Critical Hit Rate rise sharply within 15m. Skill 1 “Reactive Cryo Round” becomes a toggle that attacks automatically and applies Cryogenic. Unique Weapon skill “Extreme Torrent” unloads a minigun with a base magazine of 150 rounds, feeding a player’s firearm setup directly into the skill’s firepower.
- Extreme Strike: A rear-line Skill Module with the longest range in Hailey’s kit. Passive “Safe Strategic Retreat” activates from 12.5m and grows stronger with distance. Unique Weapon skill “Extreme Strike” is a single-shot, high-burst attack that pierces through every target in its path.
- Freezing Breakthrough: A new Trigger Module optimized for Ultimate Hailey. Holding the toggle stacks “Supercooling.” Using a Skill Weapon or Unique Weapon skill then triggers a Critical Point effect that raises both Chill Skill Power and Skill Critical Hit Damage Multiplier.
- New Cosmetics: The premium skin “Tactical Aero Suit,” the “Frost Flower” Transcendent Weapon skin “Polar Night Sentinel,” Hailey-exclusive makeup “Diamond Dust” and “Soft Pink Snowfield,” and “Art on Ice,” a spawn animation for Chill Descendants.
September 17 update key features:
- Cradle of Evolution: A new dungeon set in an experimental facility where the Order of Truth sacrifices Vulgus to concentrate their Essence into a single higher-order being. Albion Headquarters infiltrates the facility to shut down the experiment. Every run plays out differently to keep repeat play fresh, and difficulty sits above Axion Infiltration Operations. That makes it the primary farming ground for Ultimate Hailey, with rewards to match. Descendants who use a Unique Weapon have the advantage here, including meta picks such as Raven, Valby, and Blair, as well as the newly rebalanced “Overkill” Lepic.
- Transcendent Weapon Trading: Transcendent Weapons become tradable for the first time, both 1:1 and via the new Lounge Storage Trade. Minimum listing prices are set by Quality tier, and the maximum price rises to 25,000 Caliber. Weapons can only be traded 24 hours after they are obtained, and they become bound once traded. Reselling requires a “Trade Permit,” which can be purchased from the shop.
- Lounge Storage Trade: Players can list Trigger Modules, Ancestors Modules, and Transcendent Weapons through “Item Sales” at the Guide NPC in the Lounge. Visit the seller’s lounge to browse and buy listed trade items in-game.
- Descendant Rebalance: Luna & Lepic: Luna’s changes center on solo dealer builds. She gains higher damage, reduced MP loss on failed Notes, longer buff durations, and improved Inspiration Gauge generation. Lepic gains increased grenade damage, a reworked “Traction Grenade,” and added duration and damage on “Overkill.”
- Transcendent Weapon Rebalance: Armis, Storm Cage, Raging Light, Malicious Dominator, and Emperor’s Guard Lance are buffed with a focus on Transcendent Ability. The change lets firearm dealers build around Transcendent Weapons as their main axis. Weapons players have already farmed gain performance in proportion to the buff.
- Ultimate Module Improvements: Eleven Ultimate Modules are revised to lower the barrier to use, ease activation conditions, remove penalty effects, and increase effect values.
- New Skin Lineup: The Eastern Garments set launches for Bunny, Ines, Dia, Raven, and Hailey, plus a Skin Set for male Descendants. Gley’s “Eastern Mystic Garments” is free with event attendance.
- Events: NEXON is running six events alongside the update, including two attendance events rewarding daily logins through October 21; two challenge missions supporting Ultimate Hailey and the rebalanced Luna and Lepic through October 14; research time accelerations; and weekend boosts granting +20% EXP, Gold, and Kuiper Shards through October 11.
The First Descendant is a third-person looter shooter where players become a Descendant and fight for humanity’s survival, using unique abilities to tackle both solo and co-op missions. Team up with up to 8 players and strategically use a variety of mechanics to defeat giant bosses. NEXON continues to expand the game through updates that add new Descendants, endgame content, and progression systems.
More information about The First Descendant is available on the game’s official website.
About NEXON Korea
Founded in 1994, NEXON Korea is engaged in the production, development, and operation of online games. With a diverse portfolio of over 40 live games available in more than 190 countries, NEXON Korea offers engaging entertainment experiences across PC, console, and mobile platforms. Renowned for its iconic franchises, including MapleStory and Dungeon&Fighter, as well as newer titles like ARC Raiders, The First Berserker: Khazan, and MABINOGI MOBILE, NEXON Korea is dedicated to delivering innovative, high-quality game experiences to players worldwide. For more information, visit: https://company.nexon.com/en/.
Jared Beinart