Once Human
12 documents in the library are about Once Human, from writers such as GameDiscoverCo, Deconstructor of Fun and Game World Observer, the newest from 2026. Each has a summary and key insights with the page they come from.
Once Human is a multiplayer open-world survival game set in a strange, post-apocalyptic future. Unite with friends to fight monstrous enemies, uncover secret plots, compete for resources, and build your own territory. Once, you were merely human. Now, you have the power to remake the world.
- Released
- Jul 9, 2024
- Developers
- Starry Studio, Starry Studio
- Publisher
- NetEase Games
- Genres
- Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Adventure
- Platforms
- Xbox Series X|S, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, PlayStation 5
- Links
- Official site, Wikipedia
Game data from IGDB.com
Key figures
The survival game 'Once Human' surpassed 10 million downloads in its first month, while 'Naraka: Bladepoint' achieved record-high daily active users and a peak of over 385,000 concurrent players on Steam.
Game World Observer, 2024 · NetEase Q2 2024 Financial Results
The upcoming title Once Human enters the market with significant momentum, boasting over 120,000 Steam followers and 20 million global pre-registrations.
GameDiscoverCo, 2024 · Plus: The First Descendant Debuts Strong on Steam
The post-apocalyptic MMO Once Human attracted 2.3 million hours watched during its closed beta testing period that began on April 4th.
Stream Hatchet, 2024 · Top Games in Live Streaming: April 2024
Documents about Once Human
Who Won Steam's 'Best of 2025' Revenue Rankings?
This analysis examines the 2025 revenue performance of games on the Steam platform, utilizing official year-end charts to identify market trends and shifts in consumer behavior.
- Steam revenue rankings are increasingly dominated by new releases, with 31 of the top-grossing titles debuting in 2024 or 2025, up from 24 in 2024.
- Performance marketing data across $625 million in 2025 digital spend indicates that last-click attribution models fail to capture the full value of upper-funnel activities like YouTube exposure.
- For paid titles, improving user review scores from mixed to positive significantly increases conversion rates, whereas review sentiment has no measurable impact on free-to-play title performance.
NetEase First Quarter 2025 Unaudited Financial Results
NetEase reported strong financial results for the first quarter of 2025, characterized by significant revenue growth and improved profitability.
- NetEase reported Q1 2025 total net revenues of RMB 28.8 billion, a 7.4% year-over-year increase driven by a 12.1% growth in the gaming segment to RMB 24.0 billion.
- Net income reached RMB 10.3 billion, with non-GAAP net income rising to RMB 11.2 billion, supported by a 14.4% reduction in total operating expenses to RMB 8.0 billion.
- Gaming performance was bolstered by new titles including Where Winds Meet, FragPunk, and Marvel Rivals, the global mobile launch of Once Human, and the return of Blizzard Entertainment titles to the Chinese market.
Top 10 Worldwide Mobile Games By Revenue and Downloads: April 2025
The mobile gaming industry experienced a contraction in April 2025, with global consumer spending reaching $6.48 billion—a 4.5% decline from the previous month—and total downloads falling 8.4% to 3.93 billion.
- Global consumer spending on mobile games reached $6.48 billion in April 2025, a 4.5% decrease from the previous month, with the U.S. accounting for 31.5% of total revenue.
- Honor of Kings by Tencent reclaimed the top-grossing position globally, driven by the 'Five-Five Friends Festival' and strategic IP collaborations.
- Global mobile game downloads totaled 3.93 billion in April 2025, representing an 8.4% decline from March, with India leading the market at 18.8% of total downloads.
Cross-Border Publishing: Lessons From Netease’s Once Human
The global expansion of Chinese game development is exemplified by the strategic launch of the survival title Once Human.
- NetEase achieved a peak of over 200,000 concurrent users for 'Once Human' by prioritizing a PC-first launch before expanding into a cross-platform mobile version.
- The studio opted for global self-publishing to maintain direct control over player relationships, brand messaging, and the ability to iterate rapidly based on community feedback.
- Monetization for the Western market was intentionally restrained, focusing on cosmetic items and engagement-driven systems rather than the more aggressive models often seen in mobile-first markets.
Helldivers 2, Warframe, First Descendant, and Once Human - How to Operate a PvE Shooter?
The PvE shooter market currently faces significant volatility, characterized by a reliance on massive initial launches rather than sustained, long-term player retention.
- The PvE shooter market is shifting away from the unsustainable 'Destiny-style' decade-long live service model toward strategies that prioritize upfront profitability and defined product lifecycles.
- Newer titles like Helldivers 2 and The First Descendant demonstrate high viral appeal and strong initial sales, but they frequently struggle to maintain player retention once launch content is exhausted.
- Long-term success in the genre, exemplified by Warframe, relies on deep, aspirational endgame loops and complex RPG progression systems that facilitate continuous theory-crafting and character investment.
Marvel Rivals' First-Month Revenue Estimated at $136 Million
The hero shooter Marvel Rivals, developed by NetEase, has achieved significant commercial success following its global launch on December 6, 2024.
- NetEase’s hero shooter Marvel Rivals generated an estimated $136.4 million in total revenue during its first month following its December 6, 2024, global launch.
- The game’s revenue breakdown includes approximately $54.5 million from Steam, $27.2 million from PlayStation 5, and $2.7 million from Xbox Series X|S, with the remainder attributed to dedicated PC clients and the Chinese market.
- China contributed $36 million of the total first-month revenue, with global revenue excluding China estimated at nearly $100 million.
NetEase Q2 2024 Financial Results
NetEase’s financial performance for the second quarter of 2024 reflects a period of revenue growth within its gaming division, contrasted by an unexpected decline in overall profitability.
- NetEase reported a 17% year-over-year decline in Q2 net income to $930 million, missing analyst expectations and causing company shares to drop 13%.
- Gaming division revenue grew 6.7% year-over-year to $2.8 billion, with mobile titles accounting for 76% of that segment's total revenue.
- Total company net revenue reached $3.5 billion for the quarter, representing a 6.1% increase compared to the same period last year.
TWiG #291 Valve Salaries, Leaked MiHoYo Strategy, and Failing Disney IPs!
The global video game industry is currently navigating a period of significant structural transition, characterized by shifting demographic preferences and the struggle to balance traditional monetization with emerging subscription models.
- The global video game industry is projected to grow from $200 billion in 2022 to $307 billion by 2027, driven primarily by Gen Alpha and Gen Z preferences.
- Valve’s 2021 operational data highlights extreme profitability, with a lean staff of 336 employees earning an average annual compensation of $1.32 million, though this model limits the company's ability to scale.
- Subscription-based models like Microsoft's Game Pass have yet to achieve the mass-market adoption necessary to replace traditional hardware-centric revenue strategies.
Plus: The First Descendant Debuts Strong on Steam
The First Descendant, a free-to-play third-person looter shooter from Nexon, has achieved a significant debut on Steam, reaching approximately 230,000 concurrent users (CCU) and securing a top position on global revenue charts.
- Nexon's The First Descendant launched with 230,000 concurrent users on Steam, securing a top position on global revenue charts despite mixed reviews regarding performance and microtransactions.
- Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail successfully tripled its Steam active player base from 30,000 to over 90,000 concurrent users following its release.
- The First Descendant’s player base is geographically diverse, with 21% of users located in the United States and 17% in China.
June 2024 Steam Launches, Deconstructed
June 2024 Steam launch data reveals a market dominated by high-performing free-to-play (F2P) titles and viral indie hits, while mid-to-large budget traditional releases face increasing pressure to recoup costs.
- Nexon’s free-to-play shooter The First Descendant dominated June 2024 with an estimated $35 million in gross revenue, driven by aggressive monetization and a global player base.
- Viral indie titles outperformed expectations, with Chained Together selling 2 million units and Bodycam reaching 400,000 units by leveraging Unreal Engine 5 aesthetics.
- NetEase’s Once Human achieved strong engagement with concurrent user peaks exceeding 160,000, fueled by high interest from both the U.S. and Chinese markets.
Top Games in Live Streaming: April 2024
The live streaming landscape experienced a notable contraction in April 2024, with total viewership across the top 100 games declining by 11%, representing a loss of 178 million hours watched compared to the previous month.
- Total viewership across the top 100 streamed games fell by 11% in April 2024, representing a decline of 178 million hours watched compared to March.
- Rust surged into the top 10 games with 36 million hours watched, a 246% increase from March driven by a major game update and server wipe.
- The Fallout franchise experienced a significant viewership renaissance following the April 10th premiere of the Amazon TV series, with Fallout 4 reaching 4.9 million hours watched.
Which Games Hit Big in Steam's June 2024 Next Fest?
This analysis examines the performance of upcoming video games during the June 2024 Steam Next Fest and concurrent "not-E3" summer showcases.
- Black Myth: Wukong added 850,000 wishlists during the June 2024 showcase period, reaching a total of approximately four million wishlists.
- Once Human emerged as the top-performing Next Fest title, recording 14,200 new followers and 19,500 peak concurrent users.
- Tiny Glade achieved significant market penetration as a 'cozy' title, surpassing one million total wishlists.