Summary
Following a series of vague teases over the past week,No Man’s Skyhas received its new Omega update which brings overhauled gameplay mechanics, ownable pirate freighters, new cosmetics, and more to the unfathomably vast space exploration game. Though countless free updates toNo Man’s Skyover the years have more than made good on the big promises originally made for the game while also bringing it to many new platforms, this latest update introduces a new expedition which can be played for free by players who don’t own the game.
This offers a perfect opportunity for new players to try out the game if they’ve never previously had the chance, though it’s worth keeping in mind that this free-to-play period, as well as the expedition itself, are on for a limited time only. The Omega update itself brings a pretty significant package of new content to the game, with the new 4.5 version being the first update fans have seen for the game in around half a year. Developer Hello Games had previously teased some of the new features that fans can expect to see in 2024 in a presentation at The Game Awards,where the studio also revealedLight No Fire, its next major project.
ThoughNo Man’s Sky’s Omega update did prematurely drop on certain platforms yesterday, the official trailer and full list of patch notes were only recently released. Alongside the new limited-time expedition which is available for free between February 15th and February 19th and will run for around 4 weeks in total, players are now able to board and take control of the massive pirate dreadnoughts that were initially added to the game in the previous Echoes update. In addition to this new ownable freighter variant, the new Omega update also brings a ton of new cosmetic items and decorations to collect and outfit themselves with, as well as a new “Starborn” variant of starship which seems to be an on-the-nose reference toStarfield.
The Omega update also overhauls various major aspects ofNo Man’s Sky, with the story-focused Atlas Path mission seeing various tweaks andNo Man’s Sky’s expedition systemgetting a significant rework as well. Players are now able to access expeditions from the Space Anomaly directly in existing saves, and are now able to choose a limited amount of resources to pack for the journey. The full list of patch notes is quite extensive, with another significant new feature being the addition of a new system which allows players to pick up procedurally generated quests from planetside NPCs.
A video shown at The Game Awardscommemorating 7 years ofNo Man’s Skyalso provided a glimpse at some upcoming features related to space stations. The absence of these features in the Omega update seems to suggest that fans have a lot more to look forward to fromNo Man’s Skyin 2024, though creator Sean Murray also previously stated that this year will be a big one for the game.
No Man’s Sky
WHERE TO PLAY
Lose yourself in a vast sci-fi odyssey as you explore a near-infinite, procedurally generated universe. Set out from the edge of the Euclid galaxy and carve out your own interstellar existence in a vast universe teeming with life, danger and near-endless mystery. No Man’s Sky is a hugely-ambitious, heavily-stylised, sci-fi adventure that spans entire galaxies all brought to life with procedural generation. Travel through an endless array of increasingly diverse and dangerous star systems, prospecting for rare materials, trading with alien life, populate planets and searching for clues to the meaning of the universe’s mysterious existence. How you survive is up to you. Assemble entire fleets of dreadnought-class freighters and tear across the universe; build sprawling habitable bases across planet surfaces, beneath the ground or under the ocean; buy and upgrade your own weapons and star ships and do battle with outlaw space pirates, hostile alien fauna or the mysterious sentinel fleets. The universe is yours to explore - trillions upon trillions of planets, waiting to be discovered.
