No Man’s Sky Voyagers update sparks a new flurry of players
No Man’s Sky can’t seem to stop defying expectations. After its rocky 2016 launch on PlayStation 4 and PC, the game has pulled off what many call a miracle comeback.
Since then, it has received 35 named updates, steadily expanding into something far bigger than its original vision. Along the way, it arrived on Xbox and Nintendo Switch, and joined Xbox Game Pass in 2020, where it’s still available today.
Now, with the new Voyagers update live, there’s never been a better time to jump in.
Voyagers introduces buildable Corvettes
I was going to start this piece with a bigger recap of just how rough No Man’s Sky launch was back in 2016. But at this point, it almost feels like a disservice. The game has grown so much since then, and in November 2024 it finally reached a Very Positive rating on Steam — a clear sign of how far it has come and how well Hello Games has rebuilt trust. The focus now deserves to be on what’s happening today. So, let’s jump straight into Voyagers.
Voyagers introduces Corvettes, a brand-new class of customizable starship that you can build entirely to your liking. From the hull to the wings and engine, every part can be tailored, and fans have wasted no time showing off their creations. In just the first few days, I’ve seen everything from Halo’s iconic Pelican to Gundam’s and original ships that look genuinely impressive.
Each Corvette comes with an interior that you can fully walk through, bringing a new sense of scale and immersion to the game. You can explore these spaces solo or with friends, really making No Man’s Sky that much more impressive. To help players dive in quickly, Voyagers also includes a new expedition that fast-tracks you to unlocking the shipyard and essential parts for your first build.
Walkable starships and shared adventures
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Corvettes aren’t just ships. They’re fully explorable spaces with med-bays, sleeping quarters, mission radars, teleporters, war rooms, and more.
You can crew them with friends, turning these vessels into a multiplayer hub where you can decorate, explore, and travel the universe together.
Voyagers also adds spacewalking, letting you step outside your ship in space or even skydive from one Corvette to another. It’s the kind of feature I never expected to see, especially nearly a decade after launch, but it instantly feels essential.
In practice, a Corvette functions like a mobile base that follows you everywhere. From planet to planet, it’s now a home you can always bring with you.
Powered by Light no Fire technology
Hello Games has shared that many of the systems introduced with Voyagers are powered by the same technology behind its next project, Light No Fire.
They also confirmed that almost every part of No Man’s Sky had to be reworked to accommodate the update, making it just that bit more impressive.
Light No Fire is pitched as an Earth-sized open world, complete with vast oceans and continents to explore. It’s easy to see how Corvettes in No Man’s Sky could translate into massive moving structures like ships at sea, offering a glimpse of what this new game might deliver.
The studio first revealed Light No Fire in 2023, and it has quickly become one of my most anticipated releases. After seeing what Voyagers can do, I can’t wait to learn more about their upcoming project.
Player surge shows just how real the hype is
Since the release of Voyagers, No Man’s Sky has seen a major surge in players. On Steam, the game’s concurrent player count climbed past 97,000, its highest peak in years.
Social media has been full of players showing off their Corvettes and diving back into the game, creating a real sense of excitement around the update.
It has definitely piqued my interest too. Once I’ve finished spreading democracy in Helldivers 2, I plan on jumping back in.
Can there possibly be even more in store for No Man’s Sky?
Every time a new update drops for No Man’s Sky, I catch myself thinking there can’t possibly be anything left to add. Yet Hello Games always finds a way to surprise both me and the wider community. With Light No Fire still in development, and its systems already feeding into No Man’s Sky, it feels like the possibilities are wide open.
Personally, I’d love to see more attention on the early game for newcomers. With so many ambitious systems layered on top of each other, starting fresh can feel overwhelming and daunting. I’m curious what other players would like to see added next, because if history has shown us anything, it’s that Hello Games isn’t done dreaming big.