Once Human Reaches 30 Million Players as PS5 and Xbox Versions Launch With Massive Ocean Expansion Coming

Once Human has officially expanded to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S after welcoming more than 30 million players worldwide across its existing platforms. NetEase Games and Starry Studio launched the free to play supernatural survival game on consoles on August 25, 2026, bringing the complete experience together through cross play and cross progression across console, PC and mobile. The expansion arrives more than 2 years after the original PC release and follows the game's earlier cross platform expansion into mobile, transforming Once Human into a single ecosystem spanning almost every major gaming platform.

Console players receive more than 300 hours of existing content from day 1, including 6 Scenarios and a dedicated PVP experience. One of the biggest additions is the new first person perspective, which allows players to switch freely between first person and third person gameplay. On console, Quality Mode targets 4K at 60 FPS while Performance Mode reaches up to 120 FPS, giving players a substantial choice between image quality and responsiveness.

PlayStation 5 receives additional DualSense integration designed around environmental and combat feedback. Haptic feedback changes according to terrain, allowing surfaces such as wet concrete and desert sand to feel different through the controller, while adaptive triggers introduce resistance for actions such as drawing a bow. Xbox Game Pass members receive additional benefits including an exclusive avatar, META PASS rewards, cosmetic access, discount vouchers and Battle Pass XP cards, with selected outfits planned to rotate monthly.

The console launch is only part of NetEase's latest expansion strategy. At Gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live, the developer revealed Isles of the Abyss, described as the largest content expansion in Once Human history. Scheduled for October across PC, consoles and mobile, the update moves survival away from the mainland and into a massive maritime environment covering islands, open ocean and deep underwater areas.

The Ocean Expansion changes the core survival loop significantly. Players begin with basic resources and eventually construct their own Sea Fortress, starting with something as simple as a wooden raft before developing it into a heavily customized mobile base. Ships function simultaneously as transportation, workshops, weapons platforms and survival bases, with different designs allowing players to respond differently to environmental threats. Heavy armor can help vessels survive dangerous conditions directly, while lighter constructions can prioritize speed and maneuverability.

The ocean itself is designed as more than an empty space connecting islands. NetEase describes it as a living environment controlled by an entity known as the Lord of the Abyss. Players will encounter watchful towers, ghost ships, mechanical creatures and other anomalies connected to the same supernatural presence. The expansion includes 5 distinct ocean regions alongside a new underwater exploration layer containing ruins, shipwrecks and valuable resources for players willing to leave the relative safety of the surface.

Land and sea progression will continuously feed into each other. Players gather resources, fight enemies and construct equipment on islands before returning to their vessels, where new technology and components allow them to travel into increasingly dangerous waters. This creates a broader progression loop built around exploration, ship construction and survival rather than simply adding another geographical region to the existing map.

Starry Studio has already been testing Isles of the Abyss with players through confidential Pioneer Tests. The developer used those sessions to evaluate island exploration, survival building, boat controls, system stability and overall story pacing before the public release. Feedback collected during those tests is being used to refine the final October version.

NetEase is also planning beyond the Ocean Expansion. Vision Wheel Season 5 is scheduled for November and will introduce a new gameplay structure centered around sound, while a larger project currently called Manibus Ultimate Edition is planned for the first half of 2027. Details remain limited, but the roadmap suggests the developer intends Once Human to remain an actively evolving survival platform rather than treating the console launch as the end of its expansion cycle.

Once Human reaching consoles after building a community of more than 30 million players gives NetEase an opportunity to turn an already successful survival game into a genuinely unified global platform. Cross progression is particularly important because existing PC and mobile players do not need to abandon their progress to move into the living room, while 4K 60 FPS and 120 FPS options give console users a surprisingly strong technical package for a free to play release.

Isles of the Abyss could be even more important than the console launch itself. Ship construction, underwater exploration and interconnected land and ocean progression fundamentally change how players interact with the world rather than simply adding another map. If Starry Studio can keep that maritime loop varied over long sessions, October could effectively become a second major launch moment for Once Human.

Will the PS5 and Xbox launch convince you to try Once Human, or are you more interested in returning for the Isles of the Abyss Ocean Expansion?