Once Human: Release date, platforms, and features

Chinese gaming giant, NetEase is all set to release their newest title, Once Human. This post-apocalyptic online shooter has created a lot of hype ever since its announcement. The visuals, setting, and gameplay are some of the many reasons why you should try Once Human, once it finally gets its global release. Once Human is slotted to release on July 9, 2024.

Although gamers are very intrigued by the teasers and trailers that have disclosed a lot about the game, the title is also getting its fair share of criticisms. Many are calling it yet another generic Chinese game that is a mosh pit of half-baked ideas. But all of these claims can’t be judged until the game is out. In this article, we have shared all the available information about the Once Human that you will need to know.

Note: Some aspects of this article reflect the writer's opinions.

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What is Once Human? Major features explored

Jump into the monster apocalypse (Image via NetEase)

Once Human is PUBG mixed with ARK and Death Stranding. We don’t know if it will turn out as messy as it sounds, but the game looks promising so far. It is a post-apocalyptic open-world shooter with online multiplayer and survival elements.

According to the lore, the game takes place when the entire planet has been contaminated by an alien substance called Stardust after an apocalyptic event. You must liberate the world from these mutated monsters, solo or teaming up with friends. The game has a 256 square km vast open world filled with various side missions and puzzles.

You can also build bases, join guild battles, and participate in various events.

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Is Once Human free to play?

Free to play but will have microtransactions (Image via NetEase)

So far it isn’t confirmed if the game is free to play or not. However, the speculations suggest that it will follow the same model as the other NetEase games.

This means the game will be free to play, but the game will feature various in-game micro-transactions. More info about the business model of Once Human will be revealed later.

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Once Human Platforms: Will it be on consoles?

Is it coming to PS5 or other consoles? (Image via NetEase)

Once Human will initially be released on PC and mobile devices. Mobile users can get the game on Google Play and Apple App Store. On PC it is available to download in Steam and Epic Games store.

Currently, you can pre-register for the game and lock in special rewards when you download the game once it’s available.

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Will Once Human have cross-play on release?

You should be able to play on mobile and also on PC (Image via NetEase)

So far, it is said that Once Human might feature cross-play between PC and Mobile.

This means you can play the game anywhere you want using your mobile device and then use your PC to continue from where you left off. But you should take this information with a grain of salt as the feature hasn’t been confirmed yet.

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Will Once Human have an offline solo mode?

You will need your wifi if you want to play the game (Image via Netease)

No, Once Human will not have offline solo mode. The game is built from the start to be an online experience. There may be a solo campaign or story mode, but you will still need an internet connection to play it.