The post-apocalyptic shooter Once Human has taken Steam by storm in its first week, attracting a huge number of players. The game, developed by NetEase Games, Starry Studio, blends survival, crafting, and MMO elements in a world overrun by an alien lifeform called Stardust. Players have been drawn to the game’s unique gameplay, which involves battling the alien threat, building bases, and exploring the world.
However, the game’s launch has not been without issues. One major controversy arose over the game’s data collection practices. It was revealed that the company gathers extensive personal information from players, including names, contact details, dates of birth, and government-issued IDs.
This led to a backlash and caused the game’s Steam review rating to drop initially. Jason “Thor” Hall, a former Blizzard developer, defended the privacy policy, noting its similarity to other gaming policies. Starry Studios also emphasized their commitment to user privacy, stating they would only use personal data for legitimate purposes.
Game launch faces privacy backlash
This helped improve the game’s rating to “mixed.”
Another point of contention has been the game’s microtransactions and seasonal reset system. Initially, microtransaction content was only available to individual characters, but the developers quickly made cosmetic purchases account-wide after player feedback.
The seasonal reset system, which reboots player progress every six weeks, has divided opinion. Some see it as a way to keep the game balanced, while others feel it undermines their efforts. The game’s popularity has also led to server capacity issues.
Characters are locked to specific servers that can accommodate 6,000 to 8,000 players, resulting in long queues. Starry Studios is working to expand server capacity and plans more fixes in the coming months. Despite these challenges, Once Human’s blend of survival, crafting, and MMO elements has kept players engaged.
The developers’ ability to adapt and respond to player feedback will be crucial as the game continues to grow.
Rashan is a seasoned technology journalist and visionary leader serving as the Editor-in-Chief of DevX.com, a leading online publication focused on software development, programming languages, and emerging technologies. With his deep expertise in the tech industry and her passion for empowering developers, Rashan has transformed DevX.com into a vibrant hub of knowledge and innovation. Reach out to Rashan at [email protected]
