Highlights
- No Man's Sky is currently experiencing its best month in years, with record numbers of players diving into the immersive exploration sim.
- The game's disappointing launch has been turned around over time through numerous patches, updates, and expansions.
- The recent release of Starfield could be a contributing factor to the resurgence in popularity, as gamers seek alternative sci-fi space exploration experiences.
Just over seven years after the game first released, No Man's Sky is having one of its best months ever and its biggest in years, according to Hello Games' Sean Murray. When it first launched in 2016, the sci-exploration game was generally considered a disappointment by fans and observers. Hype surrounding No Man's Sky had been high but, unfortunately, the title failed to live up to expectations and received mixed reviews. Thanks to efforts by developer and publisher Hello Games, however, this reception was turned around over time.
Thanks to numerous patches, updates, and expansions, No Man's Sky has joined the ranks of disappointing games that redeemed themselves after launch. What began as a frustrating slog has become an immersive exploration sim that allows players to explore a living galaxy full of interesting characters and wondrous sights. Now, it seems that record numbers of players are diving into this world and experiencing it for themselves.
On Twitter, Hello Games founder Sean Murray has shared the news that No Man's Sky is currently experiencing its best month in the past several years. Murray's announcement did not offer any concrete numbers, but it did emphasize that players are joining in across all the platforms the title is currently available on. It also didn't speculate on why the game is suddenly seeing a resurgence in popularity, but it seems quite possible that the recent release of Starfield could be a contributing factor. There are ways that Starfield compares to No Man's Sky in its emphasis on space exploration, albeit with its own unique approach, so the new adventure could be encouraging gamers to find other ways to travel a mysterious galaxy.
The Twitter post certainly got some fans discussing similarities and differences between the two games, with some arguing that No Man's Sky is the superior experience and will likely draw more players away from Starfield. Most commenters, however, simply seemed to want to celebrate the success of a game they love and to speculate on what could be coming next. As No Man's Sky just recently released a major update and continues to support the title, these fans certainly have reason to look forward to the future.
There's no telling how long this renewed support for the game will last for how popular it will become but Hello Games and fans are certainly enjoying the boost while it lasts. Anyone looking for a sci-fi alternative to Starfield will likely want to check this one out if they haven't already. With years for the developer to improve on the title and lots of great No Man's Sky expansions to choose from, it's a great time to grab a ship and start flying.
No Man's Sky is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
