The Critical Issue That Led to Once Human Mobile Launch Delay

Since its launch on July 10th, Once Human has captivated players’ hearts with its robust open-world third-person shooter mechanics and immersive narrative set in the apocalyptic sci-fi world. The game received a positive response from players at launch and has continued to thrive since then. At Gamescom 2024, Derek Qiu, the Head of Overseas Operations, took to the stage to discuss the game’s future.

During the interview, Qiu shared various details about the improvements and expansions (new PvP mode) the team is planning for the game, particularly about the crossplay experience between PC, Consoles, and mobile. His responses shed light on various significant decisions that have influenced the game’s development timeline, especially regarding the delay of the mobile version.

Once Human Prioritizes Performance Optimization Over Mobile Launch

The delay in launching the promised mobile version of Once Human is not a tactical move by Starry Studios to find the best possible release window to maximize profits, rather, it shows its commitment and dedication to delivering a polished and engaging gaming experience across all the platforms.

During an interview at Gamescom 2024, Derek Qiu emphasized that their top priority is to create an immersive experience for players. To achieve this goal, they first need to fully optimize the PC version to its best possible potential before turning their focus on other platforms, particularly mobile versions. Qiu said:

We wanted to stabilize and improve the optimization for the PC gamer’s user experience. We also want to implement some technologies, such as NVIDIA DLSS. After that, we will stabilize the mobile experience and then we’ll launch it.

This approach will not only help in ensuring that players who want to transition from PC to mobile or vice versa will have a consistent experience but also minimize player’s frustration and maximize their enjoyment.

The technological advancement that developers want to implement in their PC version is NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS). This will provide the team with a powerful tool to further elevate the overall performance of the game (across varied specifications), allowing for richer graphics and smoother gameplay.

The team at Once Human understands that delivering a visually stunning and well-optimized (for all platforms and specs) game is very crucial for capturing the hearts of gamers. By prioritizing these enhancements on the PC version first, they are not only setting a new standard for mobile gaming experiences but also giving themselves extra room to fully focus on the mobile version.

The Path Forward for Once Human Looks Bright

While the delay for Once Human‘s mobile version may disappoint some fans, it also shows a commitment to quality over haste. Starry Studio is dedicated to ensuring that both the PC and mobile versions not only meet but exceed player expectations in every way possible.

By stabilizing the PC experience first, they can dedicate more time (by not worrying about optimizing the PC version) to creating a more reliable and well-optimized mobile platform that can thrive in a very competitive market.

As players await the mobile launch, this highlights a very crucial issue in the gaming industry: finding the balance between speed and quality. Usually, studios focus on delivering the product as early as possible, not realizing that it is compromising the player experience for speed, which doesn’t help them in any way.

Just like Derek Qiu explained, focusing on performance optimization and technological enhancements is not just about delaying a release but about ensuring that players receive the best possible gaming experience.

In the end, as players look forward to the official mobile release (currently in closed technical test), one thing is clear: the development team at Starry Studio is taking all the necessary steps to elevate Once Human to new heights, promising an experience that resonates with gamers across platforms.

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