Once Human Isles of Abyss arrives October 21: shipbuilding and deep-sea diving

Once Human is going to sea. Starry Studio confirmed on October 16 that Isles of Abyss, a new PvE survival scenario, goes live after the maintenance on October 21, 2026 (PT). Depending on when maintenance ends, that may already be October 22 in Europe and Asia. It comes to every platform: PC, console and mobile.

A 21-day ocean scenario

Isles of Abyss is a full scenario, so you sign up for it like any other. Here are the key rules from the official dev blog:

• Type: PvE, 12 worlds per server.
• Cycle: about 21 days in two phases, then a rest stage.
• Phase I: 5 to 10 days. It gets shorter as the server's purification progress rises.
• Phase II: 11 days. This is where the endgame opens up.
• Start: characters begin at max level. Progress comes from Tech, not levels, and the Cradle system is off.
• Your gear: existing Blueprints and Mods carry over, but Tech limits the rarity you can craft.
• Permanent server: expected on November 12 (PT), before the first servers close.

There is no Vision tag at launch. A Vision world will open later, alongside the Season 5 Vision release.

Build your own ship

Ships are the core of this scenario. They work as both your vehicle and a floating territory. You assemble them piece by piece from hulls, decks, bows and railings, then save the design to place it again later.

• Propulsion ranges from manual and sail power to fuel and electric drives.
• You can mark a route and turn on Auto Cruise.
• Ship cannons include harpoon, long, rapid-fire, shotgun, frost and corrosion types. Phase II adds rocket and oil-drum launchers.
• You can also ram enemies or lay naval mines.

Islands, diving and new dangers

The map is an archipelago that runs from tropical beaches to frozen tundra. Some areas are Haywire Zones with strange weather, such as the Mist of Deceit, which cuts your view, or Time Rain, which wears down your gear but speeds up crop growth.

Below the surface, you dive to shipwrecks, ruins and underwater labs. Diving suits, oxygen tanks and a spear gun help you survive. Sharks, giant squid and electric jellyfish are among the new threats. On land, you can capture and tame a Bay Crocodile and ride it on the water.

Bosses and the Sunken Lord

Naval fights are a big part of the content. Enemy ships called Voyagers grow stronger over the cycle, and the Calamity Tower tests your cannon aim. The final challenge is the Sunken Lord. Its entrance rises from the sea once the server reaches 100% purification, and players must team up to reach its core. Beating it can drop a new Deviation called Duet, which changes the weather inside your territory.

New frost gear

An October 12 dev blog confirmed two new items for the same update, both built around the Frost Vortex mechanic:

• SOCR - Cosmic Visitor: a weapon that can create a Frost Vortex on hit. The first hit after a reload always triggers it. It also fires ice projectiles that seek out targets.
• Snowline Elite Vest: each Frost Vortex triggers its effects one extra time. Vortex damage also stacks up to 5 times for 5 seconds.

Also this month

• Launch rewards include free Legendary Blueprints as sign-in gifts and a free commemorative weapon skin.
• Halloween events start on the same day, with limited cosmetics and Shiny Mods.
• The developers plan to fix the Beastmaster "Nimble" trait in the October 21 update.

What's next

Mark these dates: October 21 (PT) for the launch, November 4 for the next update (more Beastmaster changes are planned), and November 12 for the permanent server. Isles of Abyss is a clean fresh start, so it is a good time to jump in. New to the game? Read our Once Human beginner's guide first.

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