If you searched for a Once Human dedicated server, here is the honest answer first: there is no server software you can download, run at home or rent from a game host. Once Human runs entirely on the servers of its developer. What you can do since June 2025 is rent an official Custom Server from NetEase and set the rules of that world yourself. This guide explains how official servers and Custom Servers work in 2026, what a host can change, what it costs and how friends join.
The short version
- Dedicated server files: not released. No self-hosting, no VPS, no third-party server hosting.
- Official servers: free, run by Starry Studio (a NetEase subsidiary), organised in scenarios and seasons.
- Custom Servers: official rental servers since 18 June 2025. You pay NetEase, you become the host and you control the settings.
How official Once Human servers work
Once Human is a free-to-play open-world survival shooter. It launched on PC on 9 July 2024, on iOS and Android on 23 April 2025 and on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on 25 August 2026, with crossplay and cross-progression across platforms.
Multiplayer is built around scenarios: rule sets with their own story and goals, such as Manibus, The Way of Winter and Prismverse's Clash, plus the PvP spin-off RaidZone. At the console launch NetEase counted six scenarios and one PvP spin-off. You sign up for a scenario in advance, and the number of sign-ups decides how many servers and worlds open. Just before a server opens there is a lock-in period, cut to 4 hours with update 3.0.5 (2 September 2026); cancelling during it costs you your spot. If you do not want to wait, you can join a scenario server that is already open.
Scenario servers do not last forever. Since March 2025, "non-shutdown servers" let you stay on your original server or move on to a new scenario once the old one has finished. High-end items, gear and Deviants can be stored in Eternaland, your personal island, and taken into the next scenario within limits.
Can you run your own Once Human dedicated server?
No. Starry Studio has never released server files or a dedicated server tool, and there is no official way to host the game on your own hardware. That also means no game host can run a real Once Human server for you. Be careful with websites that sell "Once Human server hosting" or explain a SteamCMD install: the Steam app ID those guides use (2139460) is the game client itself, not a server. If you want your own world, the official Custom Server is the only route.
Custom Servers: your own world, rented from NetEase
NetEase describes a Custom Server as "a player-managed rental server". After a small trial from 5 June 2025, it launched for everyone on 18 June 2025. The basics:
- Renting: through the in-game purchase page or the official rental page at pay.neteasegames.com/oncehuman/topup. NetEase notes that the entry point can differ per game version or platform partner.
- Packages: you pick a maximum number of online players and a rental period. At launch the range went from a 4-player server for 30 days (US$5.29) to a 40-player server for 180 days (US$289.99). Check the rental page for current prices.
- Size: each server supports up to 500 registered users, and each region has a limited number of servers for rent.
- Expiry: when the rental runs out, the server is frozen with all data kept and comes back when you renew. After more than 30 days expired, the server and all its data are permanently deleted.
What a Custom Server host can change
According to NetEase's official settings tutorial, the host controls these groups of settings. Most changes apply immediately; some need a server restart.
| Group | What you set |
|---|---|
| Server settings | Server name, public access, player capacity, slogan and introduction |
| Scenario settings | Scenario type, stages, difficulty, tasks and key switches |
| World parameters | Resource rates, farming and husbandry, rewards for killing Deviants, Deviation capture rates, map mist, teleport points and cooldowns |
| Combat | PvP on or off, damage and HP, ammo consumption, enemy movement speed, aggro range and alert sensitivity |
| Survival and building | Building costs, physics rules, territory management, hunger, thirst, XP gain and death penalties |
| Tech | Technology, crafting, social interactions and management efficiency |
On top of that, the host gets GM privileges: a control panel to add items and run commands, sending items by mail, kicking or banning players, deleting character data, leaderboards and an in-server shop. Updates in 2026 added a lot more:
- Hyper Brawl (April 2026): a RaidZone mode that restricts players to circular zones on the map, with adjustable damage, respawn cooldowns and building limits.
- Custom gear (announced May 2026): design your own weapons, armour and consumables, from Attack and Crit Rate to extra passive effects, and hand them out through drops, starter packs or the shop.
- Crimson Revelry settings, free camera, weather and camera perspective (July 2026): for example, force first-person or third-person view for everyone.
- Custom dungeons (July 2026): rename existing dungeons and change enemy difficulty, extra skills, drops and access.
Active hosts can also earn something back: NetEase runs a revenue-sharing programme and host levels based on server activity, with perks such as a free 30-day extension.
How players join a Custom Server
A host can open the server to everyone or share an invitation code with a closed group. Since update 3.0.2 (22 July 2026) the Custom Server homepage has recommended servers, a Modes section with full search and browsing, and a My Servers tab that lists your characters on different Custom Servers.
Keep in mind what does and does not carry over:
- Every character is bound to one server. Your official-server characters do not appear on Custom Servers, so you start fresh.
- Paid cosmetics on your account are synced to Custom Servers.
- Starchrom and mods do not move between Custom Servers and official servers, and Eternaland is disabled on Custom Servers.
Official server or Custom Server?
| Official server | Custom Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Rental per period |
| Rules | Fixed per scenario | Set by the host |
| Who plays there | Everyone who signed up | Anyone, or only people with your invitation code |
| Characters | Linked to Eternaland | New character per server, no Eternaland |
| Lifetime | Scenario seasons | As long as you pay, deleted 30 days after expiry |
Pick an official server if you want the full seasonal experience with Eternaland progression. Pick a Custom Server if your group wants its own pace, PvP off (or on), relaxed or brutal rates, or a closed world without strangers.
Want a survival server where you really own the files, mods and backups? Then choose a game that ships dedicated server software. Our game server overview lists the games HostValues hosts.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Once Human dedicated server download?
No. Starry Studio has not released server files, so you cannot host Once Human yourself or on a rented server. The official Custom Servers, rented from NetEase, are the only private servers.
Can I buy Once Human server hosting from a game host?
Not a real one. Without public server software no host can run the game on its own machines. Rent a Custom Server through the official rental page instead.
How much does a Once Human Custom Server cost?
It depends on the player limit and rental period. At launch in June 2025, prices ran from US$5.29 for 4 players and 30 days to US$289.99 for 40 players and 180 days. The official rental page shows current prices.
Can I bring my character from an official server to a Custom Server?
No. Each character is bound to one server and official characters do not appear on Custom Servers. Paid cosmetics sync, but Starchrom, mods and Eternaland do not.
What happens when my Custom Server rental ends?
The server is frozen with all data kept until you renew. If it stays expired for more than 30 days, the server and all its data are permanently deleted.
