Once Human Version 2.2.5 Update: Winter Content, Performance Boost, and More

The Version 2.2.5 update for Once Human is set to launch on January 7, 2026, bringing a chilling wave of winter content, technical enhancements, and a fresh batch of rewards. Server maintenance will begin at 3:00 PM (PT) and is expected to last approximately two hours, though the actual duration may vary. Players are advised to plan their gaming sessions accordingly to avoid any inconvenience.

The update size varies by platform: PC clients will need to download roughly 2.3 GB, while Android and iOS users will see 280 MB and 255 MB respectively. It's worth noting that Steam users might experience multiple downloads if the update is delayed on that platform. For a smoother experience, downloading over Wi-Fi is highly recommended.

Upon logging in after maintenance, all players will receive a generous compensation package: 1,000 Starchrom, 100 Mitsuko's Mark, 300 Starwish Token, and 30 Colorful Badge. These rewards aim to kickstart the new year with a bang.

Server Launch Schedule Adjustments

To foster a healthier server ecosystem and enhance gameplay experiences, the development team is revising the server launch schedule. For North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, the [The Way of Winter] (Visional) and [Endless Dream] (Visional) servers will now launch on the 1st and 15th of each month at 8:00 server local time. Meanwhile, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan, and South America will see [Deviation: Survive, Capture, Preserve] (Visional), [Endless Dream] (Visional), and [The Way of Winter] (Visional) servers opening on the 15th of each month at 8:00 server local time. This change is designed to provide more predictable and balanced server environments.

New Wish Machine Prize Pools

Starting January 14, 2026, at 3:30 PM (PT), three new Wish Machine prize pools will be available for three weeks. The Frost Abyss pool features the Legendary weapon blueprint "Abyss Glance." Frost Threader offers Legendary gear blueprints: Covert Walker Shirt, Blackstone Gloves, Blackstone Pants, and Blackstone Mask. Lastly, Doom Hunter includes the Legendary weapon blueprint "Doombringer." These pools present a golden opportunity for players to expand their arsenal with powerful equipment.

Jukebox Addition: "A Swell Of A Time"

Music lovers rejoice! The Christmas Wish Themed Event's background track, "A Swell Of A Time," has been added to the in-game Home Jukebox. Now players can return to their territory, play this cozy tune, and share warm winter moments with friends. It's a delightful addition that enhances the festive atmosphere long after the holidays.

Winter Return of Lightforge Loot Crates

The Lightforge Loot Crate [Winter's Hunt] makes a triumphant return, bringing back the top three voted crates: [Nightbloom Sect], [Youthful Glory], and [Pyro Glide], along with newcomers [Hype Party] and [Cloud Command]. Players can choose up to three out of these five crates to participate in, with exclusive collection challenge rewards up for grabs.

Here's how it works:

• Participation: Log in and select a crate to join immediately. Obtain unowned Lightforge Collections to earn an extra participation chance per crate. Players can participate in up to three crates, and once the limit is reached, no additional chances are granted. However, selections can be switched without consuming an opening chance if no draws or purchases have been made from the crate.

• Winter Return Special Missions: Collect all appearances from the crates to unlock exclusive rewards, including the "Winter's Hunt" themed badge and backpack charm, marking you as a true collector.

• Crate Collection Progress: Based on the number of Lightforge Collection items obtained, players can claim themed wallpapers, name cards, and alternate-color Fashion sets. Both new and veteran players can claim these once without consuming crate participation chances.

• Extra 10 Half-Price Purchases: To help players secure their favorite looks, the Winter Return offers 10 additional half-price Lightforge Ingot purchases, available in the return crate interface.

• Rarity-Exclusive Effects: Returning Lightforge Collection appearances now feature special effects. For example, [Pyro Glide] adds Psychedelic Skull - Spacetime effect and Pyro Glide - High-Speed Burst effect; [Nightbloom Sect] adds Vulpine Shadow-AWS.338 - Bullet Impact effect; and [Hype Party] adds Genesis - Crossbow - Attack & Hit effect.

• Unchanged Mechanics: The original draw probability, redemption cost, and guarantee system of each Loot Crate remain unchanged. Draw progress from previous runs is retained. Players who participated in past Loot Crates but see no records should log in with the character used for those crates to trigger data synchronization. New players should note that returning Loot Crate rules may differ from current Lightforge Gem Crates.

New Furniture Pack: Luxury Rhythm Kitchen

"Craftsmanship refined, elevating cooking into a lifestyle art of timeless elegance." The Rare-quality Territory Furniture Pack "Luxury Rhythm Kitchen" arrives on January 15, 2026, at 6:00 AM server time. This modern luxury kitchen set is perfect for warming up during the winter chill and satisfying culinary cravings. It's available at a limited-time 28% discount, because modern luxury never fades.

Optimizations and Bug Fixes

The update also brings a slew of optimizations and fixes:

• Visual Effects: Improved VFX for the Vehicle Skin "Pyro Glide" during high-speed movement, and enhanced VFX for Weapon Skins "Genesis - Crossbow" and "Vulpine Shadow-AWS.338." Character eye-tracking effects in photo mode have also been refined.

• Trade Binding: Post-trade binding duration for Feed and Water reduced to 1 hour.

• Campaign Rewards: [Factory Tycoon] campaign leaderboard rewards will now be automatically delivered via mail within 3 working days after the campaign ends, instead of manual claim.

• Community Event Notifications: Streamlined for clearer access to community updates.

• Construction Skins: Refined construction skin logic, allowing direct selection via the build interface. Note that building through this method requires switching the structure level during construction, maintaining the same operation logic as using basic structures.

• Build Interface Adjustments: The (L) Show/Hide Mode entry has been moved. On PC, it's now in [System Settings]→[Game Settings]; on mobile, it's in [Settings]→[Basic Settings]→[System Settings]. This change accommodates future expansion of building function buttons.

• Customizable "Frequently Used" Tab: The Build interface's "Frequently Used" tab is now customizable, allowing players to set preferred structures, furniture, skins, and more.

• Wonderland Fireworks: Due to frame drops and lag, this item will be temporarily disabled after the update. A performance-saving version is expected in the January 21 (PT) update, with further effect optimizations on February 4 (PT).

• Loadout Optimization: Saving loadouts now supports saving Deviation information. Old loadout configurations must be resaved to take effect; if a loadout contains no Deviation data, switching will not unequip the current Deviation.

• Sound Effects: Optimized voice and sound effects for melee attacks, fall fractures, and knockdowns. Added a "Boundary Alert Voice" volume adjustment feature.

• Battle Pass Chest Rewards: Copper ore rewards from Basic Battle Pass Chests replaced with iron ore. Sanity Gummy and Detoxident rewards from Rare Battle Pass Chests replaced with Portable Mixed Fuel and Intermediate Shield Generator.

• Deviation Drop Logic: Adjusted so Territory-type Deviations can now be obtained from roadside resource crates, while combat-type Deviations require exploration of strongholds or crates.

• UI Improvements: Improved the display effect when scanning nearby resources with the Q button, and enhanced the operational performance of the Deviation control wheel.

• Bug Fixes: Fixed misaligned interaction animations for certain furniture, an issue in [The Way of Winter] where allied Scorcher units were incorrectly flagged as enemies, a QTE interaction button that wouldn't disappear upon death, incorrect skill labels for the Voodoo Doll, abnormal energy issues for battlefield Deviations (Soul Summoner, Dr. Teddy, Zapamander), abnormal energy consumption for ZapCam skill - World ZapCam, and Dr. Teddy's Ultimate - Enhanced Hormone effect stacking. Also fixed issues with batch managing close friends, cross-season players unable to accept Main Story Tasks in [The Way of Winter], and incorrect descriptions for certain materials in RaidZone Mode.

The Once Human Development Team continues to refine the experience, ensuring that players have a smooth and enjoyable time in the post-apocalyptic world. With a blend of winter festivities, powerful new gear, and quality-of-life improvements, Version 2.2.5 promises to be a substantial update for all Metas.