Once Human is still fighting through as a free survival game by offering microtransactions and cosmetic items for sale. However, one of the items included in the game has now caused some trouble.
Which item is it? On X, user GenesisModding accuses the creators of Once Human of selling assets from No Man’s Sky in the survival game. As proof, he posts photos of the affected items:
- In the top image, the Base Teleport Module from No Man’s Sky is visible. This is a feature in the game that allows teleportation between bases.
- Below is a reward from Once Human that can be obtained from a premium loot box.
In a direct comparison, the items show several similarities. The details are nearly the same; however, the item in Once Human has different colors and includes a built-in bicycle.
The user is sure that the asset is property of No Man’s Sky. The founder of the development studio, Sean Murray, is said to have never mentioned purchasing assets from outside or outsourcing work to external studios. And it is exactly Sean Murray who reacts to this item.
No Man’s Sky and Once Human respond to the incident
What does the creator of No Man’s Sky say? On X, Murray jokes that the joke is on them. Because the team from No Man’s Sky forgot to equip the rivets with a high level of detail. The post also includes an image showing the high-polygon rivets that were likely overlooked during process optimization.
How does Once Human defend itself? Meanwhile, the development team of Once Human has responded to the allegations. They have released the following statement to PCGamesN:
We take this very seriously and want everyone to have confidence in the creative work that goes into the game. We are committed to ensuring that our work remains original and respects the broader creative community. The acknowledgment of original creativity is fundamental to our self-understanding and our way of working.
In this context, we will replace the asset in question. We are currently conducting a thorough review and will use this moment to tighten our internal policies for art and design. We are very grateful to the community members who brought this to our attention. This feedback helps us improve.
This means in clear terms: The item will soon be removed from the game. Instead, there will be a new item. Whether the item was directly copied, simply served as strong inspiration, or just randomly looks similar remains open with the statement.
If it’s up to the developers of Once Human, the survival game is far from over. They want the title to remain alive for many years – if not decades. You can read about the future of the game here: Developers reveal their big plans for the Steam hit Once Human – Set to “exist for decades”
