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Late next month, developer Starry Studio and publisher NetEase Games will be launching their free-to-play open-world survival game ‘Once Human’ across Xbox Series (Play Anywhere supported) and PlayStation 5 consoles—bringing two new platforms to an already thriving population on PCs and mobile devices. The game will launch in the Americas and Europe on 25 August and the 26th in Asia.
In Once Human, the strange worlds survival game, anomalies aren’t just threats — they’re your means to survival. Players will harness them to explore the Stardust-infected wasteland, automate your shelter, and mutate themselves for combat. From crafting to fighting, anomalies are your only way to survive.
The game will launch with console-specific enhancements and setups for optimal play, but will also support full cross-saving and crossplay between PC, console, and mobile players. Packs are also available for pre-ordering, and more details on what those entail can be found at the end of the page:
“Stardust,” unearthed by the research group Rosetta, triggered the “Starfall” event, unleashing mutations and chaos that collapsed civilization. The “Metas,” infected by Stardust, fought to rebuild civilization, but split into factions due to differing ideologies: the Evolutionists evolve with Rosetta, while the Ascendants revere the Great One. You are a Mayfly, seeking a new order in a de
Anomalies are woven into every part of open-world survival and crafting.
In Once Human they aren’t just threats — they’re how you explore, fight, build, and even who you become.
- It came alive. Everything you knew now runs, bites and stares back — they were buses, TVs and chairs; now they have legs, tongues and eyes.
- Scavenge or die. Supplies hide in ruins — and grow on anomalies. Cans and clean water keep you alive; anomalies make you strong, yielding gear, guns and power for your base.
- Squad up. They’ve got your back — some human, some not. No one survives alone: defeat anomalies, contain them, and today’s enemy becomes tomorrow’s ally.
- Build a home. Walls up, a lamp lit, a meal warm — for you and them. Your contained anomalies mine, harvest and haul the wood; the settlement runs on all of you.
- Become them. Defeat an anomaly, take its head — and become it. Its power becomes your weapon. Staying human is one way to live; joining them is another.
- A vast, seamless world. Explore 256 km² of frozen tundra, active volcanoes, rivers, swamps and deserts — but beware: eating Stardust-polluted food and water drains your Sanity, and your max HP with it.
- Master your arsenal. Seven weapon categories and 100+ gun blueprints to collect and craft, then push further with attachments and perks to build your own playstyle — in first- or third-person.
- Eternaland. Keep what you build on a persistent personal island, unbound by seasonal resets— store items, invite friends across servers, and set your own rules.
- Three graphics modes: Quality (4K / 60 FPS), Performance (1440p / 120 FPS), and Balanced (1440p / 90 FPS), plus HDR support.
- PS5 DualSense: adaptive triggers and HD haptic feedback tuned for gunplay, vehicles, movement and environmental effects.
- Full controller customization: adjustable dead zones, stick sensitivity, and complete button remapping.
- PS5 Pro: enhanced PSSR integration.
- Full cross-play across PlayStation, Xbox, PC (Steam/Epic) and Mobile.
- Cross-progression: link an existing PC or mobile account to carry your progress to console.
- Veteran return bundles for returning players who link their accounts.
Pre-orders are open now ahead of the global launch. Two packs are available on the PlayStation and Xbox stores:
Starter Pack—USD $9.99: Metapass ×1 (one-month membership), Weapon Skin ×3 “Midnight Rave,” Cradle Skin “Black Gold Butterfly,” Wish Machine Skin “Lively Blue,” and an exclusive Namecard/Theme.
Radiance Pack—USD $14.99: Metapass ×1 (one-month membership), Excellence Bundle Selection, Premium Battle Pass, Lightforge Ingot ×2, and an exclusive Avatar Frame.
Players who wishlist the game also receive exclusive early-bird rewards at launch.
Once Human is currently available on PCy
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