You’re standing in the middle of a literal nightmare. Strange, translucent monsters are phase-shifting through the walls of a dilapidated diner, and your sanity meter is ticking down faster than a cheap watch in a microwave. It’s exactly the kind of mess that makes you realize survival is way better as a group project. Figuring out how to play Once Human with friends isn't just about clicking a "join" button, though. Honestly, it’s a bit of a logistical puzzle that Starry Studio didn't exactly make intuitive.
If you just jump into the game without a plan, you might end up stranded on different servers or stuck in separate "worlds" within the same server. That's a disaster. You'll be grinding for hours only to realize you can’t actually see each other.
The Server Lock-In Trap
First things first. You have to be on the same server. This sounds like Gaming 101, but in Once Human, servers have hard population caps. If your buddy joins "Manibus (Novice) PVE 0001" and it hits capacity ten minutes later, you are locked out. There is no magically sliding into a full server just because your friend is there. Not yet, anyway.
Check the server name. Type it out. Send a screenshot. Do whatever you have to do to ensure you are both landing in the same region (North America, Europe, etc.) and the exact same server number. If you mess this up, you're looking at starting a brand new character just to hang out. It’s a massive pain.
World Layers vs. Servers
Even after you both land on the same server, you might still be invisible to each other. This is because of "Worlds." Think of these as parallel instances or channels of the same map. One server might have 10 or 15 Worlds running simultaneously to prevent the starting zones from becoming a laggy, overcrowded mess of players jumping on each other's heads.
To fix this, head to a Teleportation Tower. You’ll find these glowing pylons scattered across the map. Walk up to one, press 'G', and look for the "Change World" option. Pick the same number. Boom. Suddenly, your friend’s character will pop into existence right in front of you.
Forming the Hive Mind
Once you’re physically standing next to each other, you need to actually group up. In Once Human, the basic grouping unit is the Team. You can have up to four people in a team. This is your tactical unit for running Silos (dungeons) and taking down those massive, unsettling Rift Entities.
How do you do it?
Just look at your friend and hold 'F'. A radial menu pops up. Select "Invite to Team." Alternatively, hit 'U' to open the social menu. You can search for their UID or name there. Being in a team shares map markers and, more importantly, ensures you don’t accidentally shoot each other during a chaotic Deviant swarm. It also makes certain mission objectives count for everyone, though some story-specific items still require individual interaction.
👉 See also: How Michigan Lottery 3 Digit 4 Digit Games Actually Work
The Warband and the Hive
Teams are temporary. If you log off, the team eventually dissolves. For the long haul, you want a Hive. This is the game's version of a small, intimate clan or "family" unit.
A Hive supports up to eight players. This is where the real magic happens. When you are in a Hive together, you can actually build your bases right next to each other. You can even grant permissions so your friends can move your furniture, use your crafting benches, or help you defend your territory during a Purification event.
If you want to go even bigger, there are Warbands. These are the massive guilds—up to 30 people—focused on large-scale PVP and territory control. If you’re just starting out with two or three buddies, ignore Warbands for now. Stick to the Hive. It’s tighter, easier to manage, and feels more like a survival squad.
Base Building and Shared Resources
Sharing is caring, but it's also survival. One of the best things about knowing how to play Once Human with friends is the ability to specialize. One person can focus their Memetic points on high-end smelting and ore processing. Another can go deep into farming and cooking. A third can become the master of gear and weapon crafting.
💡 You might also like: Why the Legend of Zelda Manga is Actually Better Than the Games (Sometimes)
- Permissions are key. Open your territory terminal (the big glowing thing in your base). There's a menu for permissions. You have to manually toggle "Friends" or "Hive Members" to allow them to build or withdraw items.
- The Chest Problem. By default, your storage crates are locked. If you want your friend to grab some copper ingots while you’re offline, you have to set the permissions on each individual crate or use the "Group Permissions" setting.
- Shared Power. You can actually link power grids if you build close enough. This allows you to create massive industrial zones that look like something out of a sci-fi fever dream.
Why Proximity Matters
Don't wander too far. While the game lets you go wherever you want, the difficulty spikes are brutal. If you’re Level 10 and your friend decides to wander into the Chalk Peak area (Level 30+), they are going to get shredded by a Vulture sniper before they even see a red dot on the compass.
Stay within a few hundred meters during exploration. The game rewards "Togetherness" subtly. When you’re near teammates, you can revive them if they go down. If you’re solo and you die in a ditch, you’re just respawning at the nearest tower and trekking back for your loot. With a friend, you're back in the fight in five seconds.
The Sanity Mechanic
Playing together helps manage the Sanity mechanic too. When you’re out in "Stardust" heavy areas, your max HP starts to shrink. It’s represented by a blue bar creeping over your red health bar. Having a teammate means one person can provide cover while the other pops a Sanity Gummy or sets up a portable bed to recover. It sounds minor until you’re at 20% health and a Level 25 Elite is charging at you.
Tackling the Monoliths
The real test of your friendship will be the Monolith bosses. These are the "Great Ones." The first one, the Glutton, is a giant creature with a literal house for a head. Doing this solo is a slog. Doing it with friends is a blast.
Coordination is mandatory. In these fights, one person usually needs to handle "adds" (the smaller mobs that spawn) while the others focus on the boss's weak points—usually glowing red or purple bits. Communicate on Discord. In-game voice chat is okay, but it can be finicky.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
If you’re ready to get your squad moving, here is the exact order of operations you should follow:
📖 Related: Beating the Elite Four Pokemon Fire Red: What Most Players Get Wrong About the Indigo Plateau
- Sync the Server: Before anyone hits "Enter Game," confirm the Server Name and Number in a group chat. If one of you is already Level 20 and the others are Level 1, the high-level player might have to bite the bullet and restart if the server is full.
- The Tower Meetup: Everyone gets through the tutorial (about 15-20 minutes). Meet at the first Teleportation Tower in the Deadsville area.
- Align the Worlds: Use the Tower to jump into the same World instance (e.g., World 3).
- Form the Hive: Hit 'U', create a Hive, and invite everyone. This makes your map icons permanent and green so you can find each other easily.
- Claim Adjacent Land: Find a flat spot near water. Have everyone drop their Territory Flag within line-of-sight of each other. This creates a "neighborhood" that you can defend together.
- Specialize Memetics: Talk about who is taking which crafting tree. Don't all waste points on the same basic blueprints. One person handles the "Wood/Stone" stuff, the other handles "Electronics/Power."
Survival in the world of Once Human is significantly less depressing when you have someone to laugh with when a giant bus with human legs walks past your house at 3:00 AM. Get your server sorted, sync your worlds, and start building that fortress. You’re going to need it.