Rei, Asuka, and Mari land in The First Descendant in a historic collaboration with Evangelion

Nexon has officially revealed one of the most highly anticipated collaborations for The First Descendant community. On June 18th, the popular looter shooter will launch an Evangelion crossover featuring skins inspired by Rei Ayanami, Asuka Langley Shikinami, and Mari Illustrious Makinami—three of the most iconic characters from the legendary franchise created by Hideaki Anno. This collaboration goes beyond simple cosmetics: it is part of a broader strategy to bolster seasonal content and marks the game’s first major crossover with an anime series since its release.

Bunny, Valby and Gley become Evangelion’s most famous pilots

The official trailer released by Nexon provided the first details of the event.

The stars of this crossover will be Bunny, Valby, and Gley, three of the game's most popular Descendants, who will receive outfits directly inspired by Evangelion's iconic plugsuits. According to the footage shown, Bunny will sport Asuka Langley Shikinami's skin, Valby will adopt Rei Ayanami's look and Gley will take on Mari Illustrious Makinami's aesthetic.

Nexon confirmed that the cosmetics faithfully replicate the designs seen in the Rebuild of Evangelion movie tetralogy, capturing the distinctive details of the combat suits worn by the EVA pilots.

In addition to full character skins, the collaboration will include new weapon skins, social animations, special emotes, and other customization elements designed to bring Evangelion's visual identity into the universe of The First Descendant.

For now, Nexon has not announced any playable story content or special modes inspired by the franchise, meaning the event will focus primarily on visual customization. However, the company teased that a specific Dev Note will be published on June 16th with more details on the available content.

A major milestone for Nexon's anime collaborations

The significance of this collaboration goes far beyond the cosmetics themselves.

Since its launch, The First Descendant has leveraged partnerships with well-known franchises to expand its reach. Throughout 2025, the game featured events inspired by NieR: Automata and Bayonetta, two major milestones in its content strategy.

However, Evangelion represents a shift. It is the game's first major collaboration with an anime franchise and one of the most influential Japanese IPs of recent decades.

Hideaki Anno's saga remains a benchmark in Japanese sci-fi and maintains a massive global fanbase. Choosing Rei, Asuka, and Mari as the faces of the crossover is a natural fit, given they are the most recognizable characters in the franchise.

For Nexon, this event is also an opportunity to attract new players who may not have previously paid attention to the game, capitalizing on Evangelion's enduring popularity among anime fans.

Context and current situation

This collaboration arrives during an especially active period for The First Descendant.

The game is currently in Season 3, a phase that has introduced fresh content, balance adjustments, character buffs, and features aimed at expanding the overall experience. Nexon continues to update the live-service title regularly through patches and events.

Over the past few weeks, the studio has rolled out several updates focusing on character balance, game mode improvements, and new progression tools—all part of a strategy to sustain community engagement ahead of future content expansions.

Furthermore, the arrival of Evangelion lands at a time when anime crossovers are proving highly lucrative. Live-service giants like Fortnite, Call of Duty, Overwatch, and NIKKE have demonstrated the massive appeal of anime partnerships.

Nexon is clearly following suit, leveraging high-profile collaborations to boost the game's visibility and enhance its premium cosmetic catalog.

What this means for players

For regular players of The First Descendant, this crossover offers premium customization options for some of the roster's most-played characters.

Fans of Bunny, Valby, and Gley can fully transform their favorite Descendants with designs from a masterpiece of Japanese animation. The fidelity shown in the trailer suggests a high level of craftsmanship.

For Evangelion enthusiasts, the appeal is clear. Rei, Asuka, and Mari are fan favorites, and their arrival makes this one of the biggest cosmetic drops in the game's history.

This event may also serve as a bellwether for Nexon's future. If reception is positive, the studio will likely continue exploring partnerships with other anime franchises.

While missions or themed boss fights haven't been announced yet, the community will be keeping a close eye on the upcoming Dev Note just days before launch.

Evangelion finds a new home in Nexon’s universe

Bringing Evangelion to The First Descendant stands as one of Nexon's biggest moves since the game's debut. It doesn't just add legendary anime characters; it proves the studio's ambition to position its looter shooter as a platform capable of securing top-tier collaborations.

With Bunny, Valby, and Gley stepping into the shoes of Asuka, Rei, and Mari, June 18th is set to be a massive day for the community. Time will tell if this is just the start of a new era of crossovers or a stepping stone toward even more ambitious partnerships.