First Descendant Samsung introduced as the world's first title to fully support the HDR10+ Gaming standard, marking a significant milestone for Samsung and the broader HDR ecosystem. Samsung announced the launch of The First Descendant, a free-to-play third-person shooter developed by Nexon, as the inaugural game to carry the HDR10+ Gaming certification.
- Samsung has named The First Descendant by Nexon as the first game to fully implement the HDR10+ Gaming standard, delivering the most responsive and accurate HDR gameplay experience to date.
- The HDR10+ ecosystem now includes 155 partners and more than 7,000 certified devices — from TVs and monitors to smartphones, tablets, and set-top boxes.
- Samsung officially showcased the game at Gamescom 2023, with an open beta version released from 19th September.
What Makes the First Descendant Samsung's HDR10+ Gaming Debut Special?
Samsung first teased its HDR10+ Gaming ambitions back in October 2021, and two years later the promise became reality. The First Descendant is now the world's first title to fully leverage the HDR10+ Gaming standard, delivering what Samsung describes as the most responsive, accurate, and frictionless HDR gaming experience ever achieved. The company officially presented the game at Gamescom 2023, giving players worldwide their first hands-on look at what certified HDR10+ gameplay feels like in practice.
The open beta launched on 19th September, allowing a global audience to experience the game's immersive HDR visuals firsthand. The title is available free-to-play, lowering the barrier for gamers who want to see the standard in action without an upfront cost.
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HDR10+ Gaming Standard: Key Features and Ecosystem Growth
The HDR10+ Gaming standard is built to give both players and developers more control over the visual experience. Here is what the standard brings to the table:
Richer Visuals Through Deep Color and Contrast
HDR10+ Gaming technology delivers deep color, high contrast, and elevated brightness levels that go beyond what standard SDR or basic HDR profiles can offer. The standard is specifically designed to reveal finer details in dark shadows and bright highlights simultaneously — so whether a game scene takes place in a pitch-black dungeon or under blazing sunlight, the image remains accurate and immersive.
Low-Latency, Variable Refresh Rate Support
Beyond visual fidelity, HDR10+ Gaming is optimized for performance. The standard supports a variable refresh rate (VRR) with near-instant response times, ensuring that competitive players do not sacrifice input latency for image quality. Samsung has also equipped the standard with tools that help developers maintain a consistent and reliable HDR experience across every certified HDR10+ Gaming display — meaning a game will look as its creators intended, regardless of which supported screen a player uses.
The HDR10+ ecosystem has grown substantially, now encompassing 155 partners and more than 7,000 certified devices — including TVs, monitors, projectors, smartphones, tablets, and set-top boxes. This wide device coverage ensures that HDR10+ Gaming content reaches the largest possible audience across multiple categories of hardware.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the First Descendant and who developed it?
The First Descendant is a free-to-play third-person shooter developed by Nexon. It became notable as the first gaming title to fully support Samsung's HDR10+ Gaming standard, offering gamers a certified, high-fidelity HDR experience on compatible devices.
What does HDR10+ Gaming offer compared to standard HDR?
HDR10+ Gaming goes beyond basic HDR by adding dynamic metadata, variable refresh rate support, and low-latency optimizations. It provides deeper colors, stronger contrast, and better detail in both shadows and highlights, while also giving developers consistent tools to ensure the experience looks correct across all certified HDR10+ Gaming displays.
How many devices support the HDR10+ Gaming standard?
As of Samsung's announcement, the HDR10+ ecosystem includes 155 certified partners and more than 7,000 certified devices, spanning TVs, monitors, projectors, smartphones, tablets, and set-top boxes.
