Once Human console F2P launch August 25 — 30M+ players cross-platform

Once Human — Star Studio's supernatural multiplayer survival crafting game — is launching on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on August 25, 2026 as a free-to-play title. The PC version launched in 2024 and has accumulated 30M+ players to date, making Once Human one of the biggest F2P survival games outside of Fortnite.

The basics

• Developer: Star Studio (a NetEase

subsidiary)

• Publisher: NetEase Games
• Platforms: PC (existing), PS5 +

Xbox Series X|S (Aug 25)

• Price: Free
• Genre: Supernatural survival

crafting

• Engine: Star Engine (custom

NetEase engine)

• Cross-progression: Yes, between

PC and console via NetEase account

What's Once Human

Once Human is set in a post-apocalyptic world invaded by Stardust — a supernatural contamination that mutates reality. Players are "Meta-Humans" who can harness Stardust powers and fight corrupted creatures called "Aberrations."

The core loop

1. Scavenge a procedurally-generated

open world

1. Build a base with supernatural

defenses

1. Craft weapons and armor with

Stardust-enhanced abilities

1. Fight Aberrations in PvE

encounters

1. Co-op with other players to

take down world bosses

1. PvP in contaminated zones (optional)

What's different from other survival

games

• Supernatural powers — your character

has Deviations (Stardust-infected companions) that give you unique abilities

• Modular weapons — you can slot

different Stardust abilities into weapons (e.g., fire damage, healing on hit, AoE blast)

• Territory control — your base

can claim territory and defend it from waves of Aberrations

• Co-op focused — the game is

designed around 4-player co-op sessions

The 30M+ player base

The PC version launched July 2024 and has been steadily growing:

• 2024: 10M players
• 2025: 25M players
• 2026 (current): 30M+ players

Once Human has been a top 10 Steam game by concurrent players in the survival genre for 18 of the last 24 months.

Cross-platform launch details

• Cross-progression: Yes. Your PC

progress carries over to PS5 and Xbox. Same NetEase account

• Cross-play: Yes. Console players

can play with PC players in PvE

• No cross-play PvP: PvP zones are

console-only or PC-only (to avoid mouse vs controller advantage)

• Same content: All current PC

content ships with the console launch

• No parity delay: Console gets the

same updates as PC, on the same schedule

What's new at launch

Console launch ships with Season 3 content including:

• New Deviations — 6 new

Stardust-infected companions

• New region — the Sunbury region,

a desert area with pyramid ruins

• Season 3 Battle Pass — 100 tiers

of cosmetic rewards

• Limited-time event — the "Eclipse"

event runs Aug 25 - Oct 10

Monetization

Once Human is fully F2P with cosmetics- only monetization:

• Battle Pass — 100 tiers, free

track + premium track ($9.99)

• Cosmetic shop — outfits, weapon

skins, emotes, base decorations

• Deviation skins — cosmetic

variants of your companions

• No loot boxes — all cosmetics

direct purchase

• No pay-to-win — all gameplay

items are free

The PC version has been praised for its fair monetization — a major selling point for the F2P survival genre.

System requirements

PC (existing)

• Minimum: Intel i5-8400, GTX 1060,

16GB RAM, 50GB storage

• Recommended: Intel i7-10700, RTX

3070, 16GB RAM, SSD

PS5

• All PS5 models supported
• 4K at 30fps (Quality mode) or 1440p

at 60fps (Performance mode)

Xbox Series X|S

• Xbox Series X: 4K at 30fps or 1440p

at 60fps

• Xbox Series S: 1080p at 30fps or

60fps

Why it matters

Once Human is the biggest F2P survival game to launch on console in 2026. The genre is dominated by:

• PC-focused games: Rust, Valheim,

Project Zomboid

• Console-skewing games: Minecraft,

Ark, Subnautica

• Cross-platform F2P: Once Human,

The Division Resurgence

Once Human + Division Resurgence (Aug 5) + Fortnite + Apex Legends (limited) are the 4 big F2P cross-platform survival/ shooter games in 2026. Once Human entering console is a major shift in the F2P survival market.

Cross-platform with PC: how it works

NetEase has been doing cross-progression for years (Naraka: Bladepoint, Marvel Rivals, Identity V). The pattern:

1. Link your NetEase account in

game settings

1. Play on any platform — progress

syncs to your NetEase cloud

1. Buy once, play anywhere — any

purchase (battle pass, cosmetics) is available on all linked platforms

Once Human uses the same system.

Critical reception so far

The PC version has a Mostly Positive rating on Steam (78% positive, 95K+ reviews). The common praise:

• "Best F2P survival game in years"
• "The Deviations system is genius"
• "Fair monetization, no pay-to-win"
• "Cross-progression is seamless"

The common complaints:

• "Repetitive mid-game"
• "PvP is unbalanced"
• "Endgame grind is long"

What to play first

If you're new to Once Human, the recommended first 2 hours:

1. Tutorial — learn the Deviations

system and base building

1. First base — build a small

base near the starting area

1. First deviation — capture a

Stardust-infected creature as your companion

1. First dungeon — solo a small

dungeon for materials

1. First co-op — invite a friend

or join a public group

The game is best with at least 1 friend for co-op. The endgame is significantly better with a 4-person group.

FAQ

Is Once Human free to play on console?

Yes. Fully F2P on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S starting August 25, 2026.

Does Once Human have cross-progression

with PC?

Yes. Same NetEase account, same progress, same purchases.

Does Once Human have cross-play with PC?

Yes for PvE. No for PvP (separate pools to avoid mouse vs controller advantage).

How many players does Once Human have?

30M+ on PC since the July 2024 launch. Expected to grow significantly with the August 25 console launch.

What kind of game is Once Human?

Supernatural survival crafting. Think Rust + Diablo + Stardew Valley with Stardust-infected companion powers.

Is there PvP?

Yes, in contaminated zones. Optional — most players focus on PvE.

Does Once Human have a battle pass?

Yes. 100 tiers, free track + $9.99 premium track. Cosmetic-only.

When does Once Human launch on console?

August 25, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. PC version is already live.

Sources: Star Studio Once Human official site, NetEase Once Human console announcement, Steam Once Human store page.