Once Human reached 30 million cumulative players just over a month after its July 9 launch, but that number masks a sharp drop in daily engagement. The free-to-play survival shooter from Starry Studio hit a peak of 230,000 concurrent Steam players at release, yet its recent 24-hour peak has fallen to around 21,000. This steep decline matters to players who want a thriving community for cooperative survival and to developers tracking the game's long-term retention. The data suggests the initial hype has faded, leaving a smaller but dedicated player base.
Starry Studio releases game on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
The game is now available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S since August 25, bringing cross-play support to console users. Starry Studio released the title on PC first, and the console ports arrived nearly two months later to extend the game's reach. This expansion allows players on different platforms to join the same servers, which is critical for a multiplayer survival game. The console release adds a new hardware dimension to the title, though the active player counts remain focused on the PC ecosystem.
Technical performance on Steam shows mixed signals, with the game holding a 78% positive rating from more than 180,000 reviews. While the initial player surge was massive, the recent 21,000 concurrent users indicate a significant churn rate. The game's survival mechanics and open-world exploration have drawn in millions, but the endgame experience has faced criticism. Players have pointed out repetitive loops and a controversial wipe system that resets progress, which likely contributes to the drop in concurrent activity.
Starry Studio plans to release the Isles of Abyss expansion in October, which will introduce ocean exploration mechanics to the game. This update represents the biggest expansion to date and aims to revitalize interest in the survival shooter. The developers are betting that new content will bring players back to the shrinking active base. The release date is set for October, giving the team time to polish the new features before the community returns.
The 30 million player milestone is a cumulative figure that includes all users who have ever played the game, not just active participants. This distinction is important for understanding the true health of the player base. The recent console release and upcoming expansion are key events that will determine if the game can stabilize its community. Players should watch the October update to see if the new content can reverse the declining concurrent player trend.
Source: NotebookCheck
