Summary

  • Players praise Once Human for fair monetization, calling it the "least pay-to-win" game in a while.
  • NetEase kept its promise of a non-pay-to-win game, with players happy to support with in-game purchases.
  • Despite some controversy, Once Human continues to grow in numbers and improve under NetEase and Starry Studios.

In a time when the monetization practices of free-to-play titles are increasingly under the microscope, it's very rare that a game comes out with much credit. The First Descendant players declared they were "done" with the game within hours of launch due to its "predatory" practices, and last year, Overwatch 2 was slated for a similar thing.

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So, when a game launches and the monetization is fair, especially a game that doesn't cost a penny, it's easy to overlook. Especially given that's what should be the norm. However, players of the recently released Once Human believe that the monetization is so fair, that they had to "hunt through [the menus] to find the shop."

"The monetization of this game actually makes me want to buy something to support it"

A thread on Reddit claims that Once Human is the "least pay-to-win game release I've seen in years" and that it's "not being talked about enough," a sentiment echoed by many other Metas. The microtransactions weren't deemed pushy or aggressive and instead focused mainly on cosmetics.

The praise was exemplified by the fact that the shop was so hidden. "I just found out yesterday there are microtransactions and a battle pass after playing for a week," a commenter said. A second added, "It actually takes a lot of effort to find all the shop options."

NetEase was praised for sticking to its word that the game would not be pay-to-win. It was called "the thing I love most" and the "Path of Exile of survival games. The first game since PoE and LoL that is truly f2p." The positive comparisons continued, and alongside League of Legends and Path of Exile, Once Human was also compared to Warframe, a game with "great monetization." And, while the comparisons with Warframe could be considered a compliment on its own, Once Human was called even "less P2W" than that.

The battle pass was also something that regularly came up in discussion. Although it isn't deemed as being the most interesting on the market, players were still happy to speak with their wallets. One player said they "bought it anyway to say thanks to the devs", with another saying they're "more than happy to splurge on what I would have paid for a game of this standard and top up every few months." A third claimed they had already "spent €100 on this game", but they were happy to do so to "support the dev".

All of this isn't to say that Once Human didn't launch without at least a modicum of controversy. Six-weekly seasonal wipes, the inability to delete characters or switch servers, and "excessive" terms of service all marred the game's launch. However, NetEase and Starry Studios have now built up enough goodwill that the game continues to grow in numbers and go from strength to strength.

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Once Human

Survival Shooter Open-World Systems 9.0/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 75/100 Critics Rec: 58% Released July 9, 2024 ESRB t Developer(s) Starry Studio Publisher(s) Starry Studio, NetEase, Inc. Engine Once Human engine
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Once Human takes the MMO in new directions, placing the player in the role of a Meta-Human in the midst of a post-apocalyptic future. You must survive Stardust, an alien creature infecting and influencing a dark and chaotic world.

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