Free-to-play survival shooter reaches 30 million players – but there’s a problem

Once Human launched on July 9. Just over a month later, the free-to-play survival game has already attracted more than 30 million players. Derek Qiu, Head of Operations for Once Human, confirmed the figure to Insider Gaming at Gamescom. Of course, this does not refer to active players, but rather the cumulative number of users.

A look at SteamDB gives a better idea of how many players are actually playing at the same time: At launch, Once Human reached a peak of around 230,000 concurrent Steam players. More recently, its 24-hour peak still stood at around 21,000 concurrent users. Since the game is also available through its own launcher, however, Steam only represents part of the PC community. Even if some of those users probably only checked out the game briefly, 30 million players is a remarkable figure – and a major milestone for Starry Studio. Below, we take a closer look at what players like about Once Human, what could become a problem and what the developers have planned for the future.

Strong mix of genres, but weaknesses in the endgame

The game's success is likely due primarily to its unusual blend of genres. Players are dropped into a post-apocalyptic open world, gather resources, craft weapons, build their own base and take on grotesque monsters as well as gigantic bosses. The game is played from a third-person perspective. Up to this point, Once Human is a fairly traditional survival shooter. The special twist comes from the so-called Deviations. These bizarre creatures can be captured and then put to use either in combat or at the player's base. Some gather resources, others tend to plants or help with crafting – Palworld certainly comes to mind.

Looking at the more than 180,000 Steam reviews, of which only 78% are positive, Once Human is by no means free of criticism. According to many players, once the level cap is reached, the gameplay largely boils down to repeatedly farming the same resources, dungeons and bosses. Many find this too repetitive. The controversial scenario and wipe system is another source of frustration, as parts of players' progress are reset and they regularly have to readjust. On top of that, long-term players complain that paid skins appear far more frequently than new gameplay content.

What’s next

Since August 25, Once Human has also been available for PlayStation 5 (currently $730 on Amazon) and Xbox Series X|S. The console versions support cross-play and cross-progression with PC and mobile devices, which should initially bring some fresh momentum to the game – and more content is also on the way. In October, Isles of Abyss, the game's biggest expansion to date, will arrive. It turns the ocean into a new playable area and introduces its own gameplay loop. Players build customizable rafts, explore islands, collect loot and battle mechanical sea monsters. Whether the new content can make the criticized endgame more varied in the long run remains to be seen.