As a dedicated gamer who's been diving into the post-apocalyptic world of Once Human since its launch in 2024, I've had quite the rollercoaster ride. 😊 Back then, the game felt like a breath of fresh air, but man, the lag issues were brutal! I remember trying to team up with friends for some co-op action, and it was like the servers were gasping for breath, struggling to keep up with all of us. Darn, that was rough—constant disconnects and delays turned what should've been an epic adventure into a frustrating chore. Even worse, if a new player joined, I had to create a whole new character just to play with them, which honestly made me feel like I was stuck in a loop. The whole thing was a real hassle, and I know many others felt the same way. 
Starry Studio, the developer behind this gem, didn't just ignore our cries—they actually listened and stepped up big time. Wow, free stuff? Awesome! In October 2024, they rolled out a heartfelt apology for the server woes, acknowledging how the lag was messing with our gameplay. To thank us for sticking around, they showered players with a bundle of goodies. I still recall logging in and seeing the compensation package—it was like Christmas morning! Here's what we all got:
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Starchrom x1,000 💫
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Mitsuko's Mark x150 ✨
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Stardust Source x200 🔮
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Gunpowder x30 💣
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Canned Seafood in Oil x1 🥫
These items weren't just pixels on a screen; they felt like loyal companions helping me rebuild my base faster. Starchrom, in particular, was a game-changer—it hummed with energy, almost whispering encouragement as I used it to upgrade my gear. And that Canned Seafood? Well, it became a running joke among my squad, symbolizing how the devs were tossing us a lifeline in the chaos. Honestly, this gesture made me forgive a lot of the early hiccups.
The fixes didn't stop there. Starry Studio laid out a clear roadmap, starting with server optimizations on October 11, 2024. Then came the big update on October 17, which introduced a brand-new PvE scenario. I was there when it dropped, and let me tell you, the difference was night and day. 😌 The lag had eased up, and new tweaks made co-op smoother, like finally allowing cross-server play without forcing character resets. It was as if the game itself had grown a spine, standing taller against the competition. Here's a quick look at the timeline:
| Date | Update Highlights |
|---|---|
| October 11 | First round of server optimizations |
| October 17 | New PvE scenario + additional fixes |
As a player, I appreciated how Starry Studio owned up to this being their first release. The market for live-service games is super competitive now in 2025, and issues like these could've driven us all away for good. But by rewarding our patience, they turned a negative into a positive. Most of the community responded with cheers—I saw tons of posts praising the free items and the transparency. Still, not everyone was fully satisfied. Some folks voiced other gripes, like wanting loot crates gone entirely or begging for a mobile version with crossplay. Personally, I think the devs handled it well; after all, bigger games mean bigger challenges, but at least we got some sweet loot out of it.
Looking back from 2025, Once Human has come a long way. The lessons learned from that rocky start have shaped it into a more polished experience today. I'm still playing, and the memories of that apology haul remind me why I stick with games that value their players. Freebies or not, it's the human touch that counts. 🎮