The First Descendant Anti-Cheat

Kernel-level Nexon Game Security as the only anti-cheat since September 2026, weekly published ban lists, and rules that can reach other accounts on the same device.

Published by GCS Cheats under our editorial policy. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.

In plain EnglishThis page explains the anti-cheat that protects TFD - the system that tries to catch and ban cheaters. It covers how strict that system is and how cheats try to stay hidden from it. No cheat is ever 100% safe, so always check a product's status before you buy.

What anti-cheat does The First Descendant use?

The First Descendant uses Nexon Game Security (NGS), a kernel-level anti-cheat that loads a Windows driver with deep system access. Caught cheaters get an account ban, and our database rates its detection strength medium. The guide below covers how it detects, what a ban really costs and what kind of build survives.

The First Descendant is a free-to-play, third-person looter shooter from Nexon Games, built around four-player co-op and boss fights. It runs on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox. Its Steam page lists one anti-cheat, NGS (Nexon Game Security), and marks it as kernel-level. It also warns that NGS has to be removed by hand after you uninstall the game.

Until September 2026 the game also ran Easy Anti-Cheat. Update 1.4.3 removed it, and Nexon said game security would carry on through a different solution. The Steam page lists online co-op but no PvP, so the risk is not an angry opponent. It is Nexon’s own checks, and the players in your squad who can report you.

How NGS works in TFD

NGS loads at kernel level with the game. Nexon’s rules go further than cheat software. They also forbid devices, macros and bots that make the game run in ways Nexon does not allow, tools that intercept or change game data or network packets, and any attempt to get round the anti-cheat.

Players fill in the rest. Nexon asks them to use the in-game report feature, and says its weekly results come from those reports and its own monitoring. When it spots unusual gameplay, it can move the player into separate matchmaking: in one October 2026 week it did that to 37 accounts.

What a TFD ban actually means

Nexon’s new General Restriction Policy, announced in October 2026, says using cheats can count as a severe violation. That can mean an immediate permanent restriction with no warning, and a permanent ban can also cost you the content licences and virtual currency on the account.

Nexon has not said it bans hardware. But its policy says that when repeated violations come from the same system information, such as an IP address or device, other accounts that used it can be treated as the same person and restricted too. If you delete a restricted account and make a new one, the rest of the sanction can carry over.

Detection track record

We rate The First Descendant "Medium" on client detection. NGS is kernel-level, but the published numbers are small: Nexon’s weekly reports in October 2026 list between 4 and 10 permanent bans for unauthorised programs in each report.

The same reports ban accounts for exploiting the Open Store’s payment process, and restrict trading for abnormal transactions. Nexon is watching trades and payments, not just how you play.

Cheating in TFD safely

The First Descendant is co-op, so a cheat here mostly saves time. Loot ESP and a gentle aimbot fit that. Teleports and instant mission clears are easy for a matchmade squad to see and report.

Nexon lists banned accounts every week, and its rules can reach other accounts on the same device, so do not cheat on a PC that also runs an account you care about. The First Descendant build we keep current is below.

TFD builds in the store

One TFD build is on sale right now, listed by how each one runs according to its own description.

Type not stated: Fentry The First Descendant

TFD anti-cheat FAQ

What anti-cheat does The First Descendant use?

NGS (Nexon Game Security). Its Steam page lists NGS as a kernel-level anti-cheat. The game also ran Easy Anti-Cheat until Update 1.4.3 removed it in September 2026.

Do you have to remove NGS after uninstalling The First Descendant?

Yes. The game’s Steam page says NGS requires manual removal after you uninstall the game.

Can The First Descendant ban other accounts on the same PC?

It can. Nexon’s policy says that when repeated violations come from the same system information, such as an IP address or device, other accounts that used it can be restricted too.

How do you appeal a ban in The First Descendant?

Nexon’s policy lets you ask for a review through the channel set out in its terms, such as in-game support or the help centre. A ban applied by Steam, PlayStation or Xbox has to be appealed with that platform.

Sources

Official pages for the systems this guide describes. They are the primary sources for how NGS works and how bans are issued; the detection ratings and build guidance are our own editorial assessment, explained in the editorial policy.

This guide is informational and reflects how NGS and TFD bans generally work; anti-cheats update constantly, so treat every detail as a moving target rather than a guarantee. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.

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