Press release:
Shanghai China – August 25, 2026 – NetEase Games and Starry Studio announced that their hit free-to-play strange worlds survival title, Once Human is out now on PlayStation®5 and XBOX Series X|S. The launch offers unique advantages across platforms, featuring Day One availability with exclusive perks on Xbox Game Pass, alongside customized DualSense immersion features for PlayStation 5 players.
Once Human is a free-to-play, Strange Worlds survival game set in a post-apocalyptic landscape – delivering over 300 hours of gameplay for console players from day one. In the game, anomalies are the center of the core gameplay loop – harness them to explore the Stardust-infected wasteland, automate your shelter, and mutate yourself for combat. From crafting to fighting, anomalies are your only means to survive.
The console launch coincides with a host of new special features arriving in the game, including first-person perspective, which lets players switch seamlessly between third-person and first-person, plus full support of cross-play and cross-progression, allowing current PC and Mobile players to continue their experience on console and play with friends wherever they are.
Xbox Game Pass Membership Benefits
For our XBOX Game Pass members, we’ve prepared some exclusive perks to kickstart your journey. Subscribers can claim an Exclusive Avatar, a META PASS Benefit Card (which includes 300 star sources, 30-day benefits, and allows you to try 14+ cosmetics), a Discount Voucher Bundle, and Battle Pass XP Cards. And the outfits will have monthly updates.
Next-Level Immersion with PlayStation 5 DualSense
PlayStation 5 players can look forward to an enhanced sense of tactile immersion thanks to deep DualSense wireless controller integration. The haptic feedback dynamically distinguishes the terrain beneath your feet – making the drag of wet concrete feel distinct from trudging through desert sand. Meanwhile, Adaptive Triggers physically reflect your actions, building tactile resistance when drawing a bow string. These subtle sensory touchpoints draw players deeper into the anomaly, making the world feel truly alive.
Biggest Expansion to Date Revealed: The Living Ocean Brings New Horror
Also announced is the Ocean Expansion: ISLES OF ABYSS, Once Human’s biggest content update to date, arriving in October across all platforms. This new content delivers a revolutionary survival gameplay experience spanning across islands, the ocean surface, and the deep sea. The ocean is a living entity, where players encounter gazing towers, ghost ships, and mechanical behemoths of the deep. To survive these harsh waters, players must build their Exclusive Sea Fortress, starting with a simple wooden raft and freely building and upgrading their mobile maritime sanctuary.
With islands to venture,and the most dangerous sea monsters to encounter, this expansion takes players to a boundless, ever-evolving ocean that guarantees a fresh and thrilling survival experience every time.
Rally your teammates, gear up for the ultimate survival experience, and prepare to enter the anomaly together, now available across PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, PC, and Mobile,
About NetEase Games
NetEase Games, the online games division of NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES and HKEX: 9999), is a leading global developer and publisher of video game IP across a variety of genres and platforms. NetEase Games’ development and publishing slate includes titles such as Marvel Rivals, Knives Out, and Naraka: Bladepoint, and partnerships with major entertainment brands such as Warner Bros and Mojang AB (a Microsoft subsidiary). For more information, please visit https://www.neteasegames.com/
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Jonas “O.J” Ek
The Gaming Ground
Twitter: @TheGamingGround
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Tags: Action, EGS, NetEase Games, Once Human, PC games, Post-apocalyptic, PS5, Steam, Survival, Xbox Series X