NetEase published this game. Let that sink in for a second. The same company behind Diablo Immortal’s infamous gem system and Dead by Daylight Mobile’s aggressive monetization. I downloaded Once Human expecting the worst maybe you’d need to pay for inventory space, or weapons would have stat tiers locked behind gacha, or PvP would favor spenders.
Three weeks and exactly zero dollars later, I’m writing this to tell you the shop is so hidden I had to hunt through menus to find it. Once Human’s monetization deserves its own deep dive because it breaks every NetEase expectation. For a complete game overview covering gameplay, survival mechanics, and Season 3 content, check our Once Human Complete Guide. Here, we’re focusing purely on what the game sells and whether it’s actually pay-to-win free.
The NetEase reputation problem
NetEase Games has earned its sketchy reputation. Diablo Immortal let whales spend thousands on power-boosting gems. Dead by Daylight Mobile locked characters behind paywalls. The pattern is clear: aggressive monetization is NetEase’s specialty.
When NetEase announced Once Human, forums filled with predictions: “Definitely pay-to-win,” “Just another cash grab.” I shared that skepticism. Free-to-play survival games rarely avoid selling advantages.
The twist: Starry Studio negotiated full control over monetization. Derek Qiu stated pre-launch: “There will be no pay-to-win. I swear to God, there will be none.” Eight months later, they’ve kept that promise. Not a single gameplay advantage is purchasable.
What once human sells
Let’s break down every purchasable item and service:
| What | Cost | What You Get | Pay-to-Win? | Worth It? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Shop | $5-30 per item | Character/weapon/base skins | ❌ No | If you like cosmetics |
| Battle Pass (Free) | $0 | Resources, some cosmetics | ❌ No | ✅ Yes, always take it |
| Battle Pass (Premium) | ~$10-25 | Exclusive cosmetics, +10 level boost | ⚠️ Minor | ✅ Yes, best value |
| Meta Pass | ~$5/month | Time shortcuts, convenience | ⚠️ Very minor | ❌ Skip, not worth it |
| Lightforge Gacha | $200-500/set | RNG cosmetic sets | ❌ No | ❌ Expensive, skip |
Cash shop breakdown
The cash shop sells three categories: character cosmetics (outfits, hairstyles, accessories), weapon skins (visual wraps for your guns), and base decorations (furniture, structural pieces). Prices range from $5 for small items to $30+ for complete outfit sets.
Every single item is cosmetic. Your character wearing a $25 anime outfit has identical stats to someone running the default appearance. That fancy weapon skin on a $15 rifle wrap? Zero damage boost, zero accuracy improvement, purely visual. Base decorations are literally just furniture they don’t provide storage bonuses or crafting speed increases.
The shop interface is deliberately minimal. It’s tucked away in menus instead of constantly advertised. One Reddit user said: “I just found out yesterday there are microtransactions and a battle pass after playing for a week.” That’s the opposite of predatory design. Games trying to milk players shove the shop in your face constantly Once Human actively hides it.
Premium currencies explained
Once Human uses two premium currencies: Crystgin (main currency) and Lightforge Ingots (gacha currency). You earn Crystgin slowly through gameplay or purchase it with real money. Exchange rates are straightforward no confusing bundles designed to make you overbuy. You want a $10 skin? Buy exactly $10 worth of Crystgin. Simple.
Lightforge Ingots work differently. You earn them through Battle Pass progression and can’t directly purchase large amounts. This limits how much you can spend on gacha in a short time, which actually protects impulse spenders. It’s the rare gacha system that doesn’t encourage whaling.
Battle pass deep dive
The Battle Pass runs six weeks (one season) with two tiers. Free tier gives crafting materials, some cosmetics, and Crystgin genuinely worth claiming. Premium tier (~$10-25) adds exclusive cosmetics and a +10 level boost at season start.
The level boost gives one or two days advantage that disappears by week two when free players catch up. Community consensus: borderline but tolerable. You’re not buying power, just saving time. Better value than battle passes in Fortnite or Apex Legends.
The Battle Pass integrates with seasonal progression explained in our Once Human Complete Guide, offering rewards that complement gameplay earnings.
Meta Pass Worth It?
Meta Pass (~$5/month) offers time shortcuts in Eternaland, crafting cost reductions, and premium currency rewards. After testing it for a month, my verdict: skip it. The benefits are minimal shaving minutes off activities and saving resources you’ll accumulate anyway.
Even players with $100+ in cosmetics skip Meta Pass because it’s genuinely not worth the money.
Gacha system explained
Lightforge Loot Crates are RNG cosmetic boxes themed around collections like “Sacred Carnage” or “Thunder Overlord.” Complete sets cost $200-500 depending on luck. The system has transparent odds and a pity system, but it’s still gambling hundreds of dollars for cosmetics.
Smart approach: ignore gacha entirely. Buy specific cosmetics from the direct shop for $20-30 instead of gambling $300. The gacha exists for completionists and whales regular players can safely pretend it doesn’t exist.
Pay-to-win analysis
What community says
Streamer Cohh Carnage called Once Human “99% not pay-to-win” with the Battle Pass boost being the only questionable element. Reddit praised it as “the least pay-to-win free-to-play release in years.” Players were hunting through menus trying to find ways to spend money because the game wasn’t asking for it.
I’ve played 100+ hours without spending a dollar. My gear is identical to players who’ve spent $100 on cosmetics. We deal the same damage, access the same content, and progress at the same rate. The only difference is they look cooler.
One player wrote: “I actually spent €100 in this game… to support the devs.” Not because they needed advantages because they wanted to support fair monetization.
The one exception
The Battle Pass +10 level boost gives premium players a one or two day advantage at season start. Players race to claim base locations and unlock content first. By week two, everyone’s at similar levels. By week three, the boost is irrelevant.
Is it technically pay-to-win? In the strictest definition, yes. In practical terms where “win” means significant power difference? No. A two-day head start in a six-week season with no permanent benefits is borderline at worst.
Comparison with other F2P games
Here’s how Once Human stacks up against major free-to-play titles:
| Game | Cosmetics Only? | P2W Elements | Shop Pressure | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Once Human | ✅ Yes | ❌ None (BP boost minor) | ⭐ Hidden in menus | 5/5 ⭐ |
| Path of Exile | ✅ Mostly | ⚠️ Stash tabs borderline mandatory | ⭐⭐ Visible | 4/5 |
| Warframe | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Time skips affect progression | ⭐⭐⭐ Medium push | 3/5 |
| League of Legends | ✅ Yes | ❌ None | ⭐⭐ Visible | 4/5 |
| Fortnite | ✅ Yes | ❌ None | ⭐⭐⭐ Medium push | 4/5 |
| Diablo Immortal | ⚠️ Yes | ❌ Major P2W gems | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Aggressive | 1/5 |
Path of Exile is often cited as the gold standard for fair free-to-play, but even it has issues. Stash tabs become borderline mandatory for serious players you can technically play without them, but inventory management becomes painful enough that most players buy tabs. Once Human doesn’t have that problem. There’s no “technically optional but practically necessary” purchase.
Warframe lets you buy time skips that directly affect progression speed. Once Human’s Meta Pass offers minor conveniences, but nothing that meaningfully accelerates your advancement. Diablo Immortal is the cautionary tale gems directly boost power, creating massive gaps between spenders and free players. Once Human is the polar opposite.
Should You Spend Money?
Spend if you want to support developers maintaining fair monetization. I’m serious. The industry watches which monetization models succeed financially. If Once Human fails commercially despite being ethical, it tells publishers that fair systems don’t work. Vote with your wallet if you appreciate what Starry Studio is doing.
Spend if you genuinely like specific cosmetics. That $20 character outfit or $15 weapon skin won’t make you stronger, but if it makes your game experience more enjoyable, go for it. Just understand you’re paying for visuals only.
Don’t spend if you’re broke. The game is fully playable and completable for free. Every gameplay element, every piece of content, every progression path accessible without paying. Cosmetics are luxuries, not necessities.
Don’t spend on gacha unless you’re a completionist whale. Direct shop purchases are better value. $30 buys you specific items you want, versus $300 gambling for RNG drops you might not even get. Math is simple here.
For everything else about Once Human from base building to Season 3 transformations and beginner survival tips see our Once Human Complete Guide.
My recommendation after 100+ hours: Try the game completely free for two weeks. If you’re still playing and enjoying it, consider the $10 Battle Pass to support continued development. Skip Meta Pass, skip gacha, buy individual cosmetics only if you really love them. That’s the healthy approach to Once Human’s monetization.
