No Man’s Sky Gets Actual Multiplayer Next Week

6 years ago

July 18, 2018 at 8:00 am

If you’ve wondered what No Man’s Sky would have been like as a shared, multiplayer experience, next week is your chance to find out.

Hello Games is releasing No Man’s Sky NEXT across all platforms on July 24, allowing players to either explore with random players or “a small team of friends”. The official post doesn’t outline exactly how many people you can explore the galaxy with at once, although the trailer below shows instances of at least four players on screen at once.

Here’s a list of features that will be included with the NEXT patch, which is free for all users:

Multiplayer

• Team up a small team of friends and explore the universe together, or be joined by random travellers.
• 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.

Comments

35 responses to “No Man’s Sky Gets Actual Multiplayer Next Week”

READ THE COMMENTS

benredbeard

July 18, 2018 at 8:13 am

This was actually a neat game despite all the hate when it launched. I really enjoyed it and got my monies worth, and looks like I will be getting more enjoyment out of it with multiplayer.

Reply
1. bass400
  
  July 18, 2018 at 8:37 am
  
  Yep, agree. I wasn’t really aware of the controversy and quite enjoyed, especially the visual style. Having read more since then, I can understand why people were so angry and annoyed. I hope NMS hasn’t over-promised with this update.
  
  Reply
2. neurotic
  
  July 18, 2018 at 9:44 am
  
  I got bored pretty quickly, I keep trying to get back into it but the same thing happens. I still think it was a stellar game when it launched – It’s still super impressive. I just didn’t think it deserved the AAA price tag that came along with it.
  
  I like games that I can play with my wife, so this will likely get me hooked right into it again. Have they said how it’s going to work? I don’t want to have to find her in a huge galaxy.
  
  Reply
  1. benredbeard
    
    July 18, 2018 at 10:06 am
    
    Yeah fair call, not real sure about to whole multiplayer thing. Hopefully it can be like a drop in drop out situation so you get spawned on the host.
    
    Reply
    1. neurotic
      
      July 18, 2018 at 10:10 am
      
      I’d love to be able to start a brand new game and have her there with me, or on the same planet at least! I’m worried about griefers though.
      
      Reply
      1. benredbeard
        
        July 18, 2018 at 1:47 pm
        
        Yeah fingers crossed that they will implement a password protection system, so randos don’t join your game. Or have a “private” multiplayer experience would be neat, but it is all in the hands of the developer.
  2. grunt
    
    July 18, 2018 at 1:40 pm
    
    I hope its like Minecraft. That seems a pretty solid model to me, where you can make your game open or private. Once in a game, getting to each other is a different matter, but once you progress far enough you’ll have a stargate address you can share with others to get together.
    
    If you don’t advertise that address (as plenty have done), I wouldn’t worry about griefers. Its a big haystack. its those commune idealists I worry about. They’re big enough they need to be open games, with people dropping in and out all the time, along with a well advertised address.
    
    Griefers are going to have a field day with their bases.
    
    Reply
  3. hoi_polloi
    
    July 18, 2018 at 1:51 pm
    
    I’m wondering if they’ll do something like with the portals. They’ll give your base teleporter an address which allows other users to transport there. That doesn’t really help with the ship, but it’s possible they’ll be able to call their ship in to a landing pad.
    
    Reply
3. djbear
  
  July 22, 2018 at 10:40 pm
  
  It was a neat game for what it was. However, It got the hate it was because essentially hello games was promising a 4 course 5 star meal but ended up giving us a toasted ham and cheese sandwich. Toasted H&C is still good. But when youve spent all that time promising that insane 4 course meal people will understandably be pissed off. Especially if they paid expecting to get that 4 course meal.
  
  This game would not have gotten the reaction id did if it was priced at $20 and/or labelled as “Early Access/Beta”
  
  Reply
thompson

July 18, 2018 at 9:11 am

Good on them. What interests me is how are all these updates financially viable? Anyone have any insights?

Reply
1. reev3r
  
  July 18, 2018 at 9:57 am
  
  I heard they might be releasing on Xbox One soon, so they might have been adding new features so they can launch a new and better version so people don’t instantly dismiss it?
  
  Then by doing this they need to add the changes to the current versions too to avoid backlash?
  
  This is just theory though.
  
  Reply
2. pookie101
  
  July 18, 2018 at 3:00 pm
  
  Well a combination of the initial sales from all the hype and the updates gets positive reviews for the most part bringing in more customers like it did for me
  
  Reply
hoi_polloi

July 18, 2018 at 9:32 am

Damn, looks like I’m going to get hooked again. Loved the simplicity of the game upon release and spent hours and hours chilling out and discovering the universe, but each update has sucked me in once again.

Reply
1. benredbeard
  
  July 18, 2018 at 9:44 am
  
  How good is the music and ambiance in this game.
  
  Reply
  1. grunt
    
    July 18, 2018 at 1:42 pm
    
    Essentially non existent. They’re there, but you wont notice it. Mostly its tones and chimes to reflect an achievement or similar, with just sound effects driving the sound in the game.
    
    Personally, the lack of musical distraction helps immerse me in the game. If I want music I just spark up Spotify.
    
    Reply
  2. SomeGuyFromAustralia
    
    July 19, 2018 at 11:21 am
    
    It’s incredibly well done. There’s some really good sound design and I’ve been really enjoying it.
    
    Reply
  3. namarrgon
    
    July 19, 2018 at 5:11 pm
    
    I loved it, myself. But listen for yourself.
    
    Reply
    1. benredbeard
      
      July 20, 2018 at 11:01 am
      
      Wasn’t a question, but a statement :p
      
      Reply
billytron

July 18, 2018 at 9:41 am

Oh this is exciting! I love this game, ive read about some of these updates recently and it sounds wonderful. I have a slight dilemma though, I have maybe 40 or 50 hours in my original save with a decent amount of in game currency and purchased lots of inventory slots and crafted heaps of upgrades (which i didnt know you could stack to get ectra buffs)
Is it worth continuing with that save game or should i start all over again?
I am somewhat time poor these days too

Reply
1. bass400
  
  July 18, 2018 at 11:49 am
  
  It’s a good question, might have to wait and see. I started a couple of games, and found that subsequent starts were much quicker, you know much more about crafting etc which really speeds things up. I’d say don’t be too worried about starting a new game.
  
  Reply
2. grunt
  
  July 18, 2018 at 1:45 pm
  
  What Bass said. I see possible issues with any multiplayer being thrown onto existing games that potentially ruin the experience for people not wanting to get involved. So either that happens, or its a new separate game mode like survival.
  
  If you haven’t logged in for a year or more, there have been some major changes (as you’ve seen) that are going to mean you have some catching up to do anyway. Its not a bad idea to start again because of that, just so the early story and base elements are more synchronised.
  
  Its jarring going into an established game and finding yourself locked out of stuff because you haven’t don’t any base building, and/or portal discovery.
  
  Reply
rico

July 18, 2018 at 10:32 am

i am wondering if creative mode will be compatible with exploration mode / survival modes. also going to be interested to see how it changes the planets, my current home base” planet 8 bit ” is made up of all hexagons, the ground the trees everything. the most unique looking planet ive come accross playing from launch. in regards to starting a new game if you are time poor play creative mode, after playing from launch and putting in hours and hours of work all my time was made void by the updates. my farming setup was now worth about a third of the original value and my planet went from lush and abundant to desert and acid rain. with creative mode you still need to explore to upgrade your weapon / exo suit / ship but ship all upgrades are free once you find them, i have a freighter with several s class ships maxed out on it and now spend my time exploring the galaxy with little fuss and waiting for those pirates to try and attack me.

Reply
stormo

July 18, 2018 at 11:45 am

Can. Not. Wait.

Reply
pookie101

July 18, 2018 at 1:02 pm

Unlimited base building *HAPPY SQUEAL*

Reply
1. hoi_polloi
  
  July 18, 2018 at 1:52 pm
  
  I know right? I’ve been wanting them to expand the base building since they first announced it, it was way too limiting.
  
  Reply
scruffydog

July 18, 2018 at 1:24 pm

I enjoyed the original game. I understood the hype, but the game was pretty much exactly what I wanted from it. Haven’t played since the base game, so I’ll be getting back into it after this update and experiencing a loooooot of new features from what I understand.

Good on Hello Games to power through the backlash and get to this point.

Reply
pookie101

July 18, 2018 at 2:55 pm

I picked the game up after the base building update after basically ignoring it and I quite enjoyed pottering around on planets.

Say what you want about the company they have done an amazing job releasing free updates to the game when other companies would of just cut their losses and wrote the whole thing off.

Reply
ody

July 18, 2018 at 4:00 pm

I don’t care about the multiplayer much, but this game is really growing into what it was meant to be. I never played it at launch, I never play games at launch, I’ve been waiting for this growth to happen and dammit I’m excited to play it sometime soon!

Reply
riddick

July 18, 2018 at 6:04 pm

If it ever goes on SUPER sale, I’ll give it a go. Does look more like what was hinted/promised at release.

$59.99 USD, pfft, more like $5.99!

Reply
1. Kerber
  
  July 19, 2018 at 10:19 am
  
  I picked it up during the last major update for $20 with Playstation plus. Keep an eye out for deals, but that said the game has completely changed since its inception and I’ve gotten 30 hours out of one of the single player campaigns and the base building/farming. I’m yet to start the second single player campaign and haven’t even touched space combat/piracy.
  This is a game with more than enough content to justify its full price, the trouble is that no-one has a review out for what the game has become 3 years after its release.
  
  Reply
djbear

July 18, 2018 at 6:13 pm

I mean its good and all thats it has been added. But it should not have taken two years to implement something promised from day 1.

Reply
1. gizmomelb
  
  July 18, 2018 at 10:27 pm
  
  that’s just what we call early access baby
  
  /Ash
  
  Reply
digitalus

July 19, 2018 at 2:45 pm

This article has probably the some of the most positive comments I’ve seen in response to the update news. Most I’ve seen are still frothing at the mouth with words like “failed launch”, “MURRAY TOLD LIES!!!” and “never again” nonsense. It’s great to see that some people are still willing to take the news without resorting to perpetrating the hate and bile that has plagued the game post-launch. Kudos all.

Reply
1. djbear
  
  July 22, 2018 at 10:43 pm
  
  So its against the law now to dislike a game because it had a disastrous launch? People were rightfully angry. You are essentially saying only positive opinions are allowed and anything negative is false.
  
  FYI, I like the game and own it. So dont even attempt to label me.
  
  Reply
  1. digitalus
    
    August 23, 2018 at 4:30 pm
    
    Wow… that escalated quickly.
    To be clear, at no point did I ever say it was against the law, or that only positive opinions are allowed, or that anything negative is false. You did that on your own. Just so we’re clear.
    
    I simply praised the refreshingly positive vibe of a story that has too long been plagued by trolls, haters, and negativity.
    Even now, articles that continue to rehash the failed launch are being written in tones that encourage continued negativity, if not hostility against the company. It’s exhausting.
    It’s 2018 man; the company stuck around and continued to work on the game… they didn’t run off with everyone’s money. The game has been updated many times now—for FREE—and the so-called “promises” that were made prior to launch have been or are now being fulfilled. The situation has been clarified, apologies have been offered, and the game is great. Any more crying foul over the past is simply childish and adds absolutely nothing to the discussion. Is it so hard to move on over a mere $60?
    
    I’m just encouraging people that are bigger and smarter than those that jump to the easiest conclusion/reaction. That’s not a bad thing, is it?
    
    Full disclosure: I preordered the Explorer’s Edition and even after launch was happy with the game. Label me as much as you like.
    
    Reply

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No Man’s Sky Gets Actual Multiplayer Next Week

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35 responses to “No Man’s Sky Gets Actual Multiplayer Next Week”

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