Once Human's Deviation System Update: Emergency Fixes and Balance Adjustments

On December 23, the Once Human development team rolled out a major update centered on the "New Combat Deviation Skill System," aiming to deliver a comprehensive combat refresh and amplify the fun of Deviation-based combat. The ambitious overhaul introduced a cascade of changes, and despite multiple rounds of testing, many newly added and iterated modifications were not fully covered in real online combat environments. This gap between test conditions and live gameplay led to numerous issues beyond design expectations shortly after the update went live, prompting the team to implement emergency fixes.

The first wave of hotfixes targeted specific damage anomalies that had thrown the combat balance into disarray. The team addressed:

All these problems stemmed from Deviations designed to synergize with firearm builds. The intent was for Deviation skills to trigger Meta's firearm Crit Hits and additional Keyword Effects, greatly enhancing the fun of combining different weapons and Deviations. However, during final testing, the team did not fully cover characters at varying Evolve stages, leading to skewed data conclusions and subsequent announcements based on them. After the version update went live, combat data monitoring revealed that some Deviations' damage output far exceeded expectations. This excessive damage not only disrupted the current combat system but also reduced the viability of other Deviations—like a gardener who introduces a new species of vine only to find it strangling the entire flowerbed. Prompt online fixes became necessary.

After identifying the issue, the team held careful internal discussions and decided to retain the mechanic while reducing the base coefficient of the boost. This approach preserves the synergy fun between firearm builds and Deviations while attempting to restore values to a normal range. The developers will continue monitoring online combat data and make ongoing balance adjustments to meet players' expectations for Deviation power while maintaining diversity, ensuring every Deviation has a chance to be chosen and shine.

In addition to the damage fixes, the team resolved two other critical issues:

1. Fixed an issue where the Taunt effect of the Deviation "Lonewolf's Whisper" only applied upon activation. Now the effect persists as intended.

2. Fixed an issue in non-RaidZone Modes where Pyro Dino's [Explosion] skill behaved abnormally and Battle Skills couldn't be used during Ultimate abilities.

These classic Deviation mechanics—Pyro Dino's [Explosion] and Lonewolf's Whisper's [Taunt]—were fully retained in the new system, but implementation logic changes initially prevented proper functionality. These were prioritized for immediate post-launch fixes. The team deeply appreciates players' prompt reports and treats such issues as top priorities.

Currently, the development team is urgently investigating and resolving additional reported issues, including:

• 🖱️ Some stationary Deviations cannot be controlled via the mouse middle button.

• 🔥 Incorrect vulnerability type applied by Zapamander.

• ⚔️ Deviations attacking Metas or allied objectives under certain conditions.

• 🦋 Some Ultimate abilities of Morphed Deviations (e.g., Chaos, Lunar) still display non-Morphed models.

• 🎯 Butterfly's Emissary projectile trajectory deflection.

These issues have been acknowledged and are actively being worked on. Detailed reproduction methods submitted via in-game customer service are greatly appreciated.

The team has thoroughly reflected on and reviewed the recent issues, and disciplinary actions have been taken against the responsible internal team members. They sincerely appreciate every Meta's feedback and supervision. They will take this as a lesson to enhance the rigor of their development process and ensure the quality of online content. The situation resembled a conductor who realizes too late that the brass section is playing a different symphony—a jarring dissonance that required immediate correction.

The commitment to balancing fun and fairness remains steadfast. Critical fixes will be announced promptly via notices, and player feedback remains invaluable. Players are encouraged to report issues through the Co-Dev Feedback Platform. The Once Human Development Team extends its sincerest apologies for the oversights in design and testing that led to unintended Deviation adjustments.

As 2026 unfolds, the team continues to refine the New Combat Deviation Skill System, learning from these growing pains. The goal is a vibrant, diverse combat ecosystem where every Deviation—from the fiery Pyro Dino to the elusive Butterfly's Emissary—can shine without overshadowing the rest. Like a lighthouse that, instead of guiding ships, emits a blinding glare that confuses sailors, excessive damage had disrupted the very system it was meant to enrich. With these fixes, the beam is being recalibrated to illuminate rather than blind.