This week, No Man’s Sky NEXT will launch as a free update for PlayStation, PC, as well as launching on Xbox for the first time. Nearly two years ago the small team of friends at Hello Games, with a shared love of sci-fi, opened up the universe of No Man’s Sky for the first time. Three major updates have changed the game dramatically from the launch product that many have witnessed.
First came the Foundation update added base building, farms, teleporters from your base to the system’s station, making camps to add resource harvesters and huge freighters, as well as many resource updates. Then came the Pathfinder update introducing planetary vehicles, base sharing, PS4 Pro support, ship/weapon specialisation, permadeath mode, and many visual updates. Atlas Rises was the third update and brought a brand new and overhauled central storyline, portals, a new procedural mission system, trade improvements, system economies, joint exploration and new world biomes to explore.
In just a couple of days we will see No Man’s Sky’s NEXT update, which adds the much awaited multiplayer experience to the game. Here is a breakdown of what is getting us really excited to return to the game.
Multiplayer
- Team up a small team of friends and explore the universe together, or be joined by random travelers.
- You can help friends to stay alive, or prey on others to survive.
- Tiny shelters or complex colonies that you build as a team are shared for all players.
- Fight as a pirate or a wingman in epic space battles with friends and enemies.
- Race exocraft across weird alien terrains, creating race tracks and trails to share online.
- Character customisation allows you to personalise your appearance.
Visual Overhaul
- The game is fully playable in third or first person, both on-foot and in ship.
- Planetary rings and improved space visuals make space more beautiful than ever.
- Dramatically improved planetary terrain generation, ground textures, water and clouds bring the environment to life.
- Significantly more detail added to ships, NPCs and buildings.
Unlimited Base Building
- Bases can now be built anywhere on any planet.
- Dramatically increased base building complexity and size limits.
- Hundreds of new base parts.
- Own multiple bases.
Command Freighters
- Assemble and upgrade a fleet of frigates and command them from the bridge of your freighter.
- Send your fleet out to into the universe, or deploy them to help you as you explore a specific system.
- Improved freighter base building allows a truly custom capital ship.
- Invite your friends aboard and take on challenging multiplayer missions from the Galactic Commision Station on your bridge.
Check out the launch trailer below as we look forward to getting back into No Man’s Sky once it releases this week!