Game-Changing No Man's Sky Update is Basically Pokemon in Space

No Man’s Sky‘s newest update has been released, and it adds Xeno Arenas, a monster battling feature inspired by the mechanics of games like Pokemon. Released in 2016, No Man’s Sky has seen a number of significant updates over the last decade. Developer Hello Games has drastically changed the title from its initial launch, adding new features that have built on the existing framework. These new features have helped the game endure, while continuing to attract new players.

The launch of No Man’s Sky was a disaster for Hello Games. When it was first released, the game was missing several features that had been used as selling points, and early adopters felt deceived. That could have killed the game from the start, but the developers released a steady stream of free updates over the last decade, offering new features and content that have completely changed No Man’s Sky‘s perception.

No Man’s Sky: Every Ship Type

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No Man’s Sky’s Xeno Arena Update

No Man’s Sky‘s latest update is now available, and players can participate in battles in the new Xeno Arena. Hello Games founder and managing director Sean Murray cited the similarity to other monster-catching games, stating that the development team consists of “huge fans of Pokemon, Palworld and pet battling in World of Warcraft.” That should give players an idea of what to expect from the Xeno Arena, where they’ll be able to use their creature companions to fight in battles.

In one major difference from other monster-catching games, the monsters aren’t technically fighting one another; instead, No Man’s Sky‘s battles all take place via hologram. Players can take part in these battles at new Holo-Arena tables, which can be found throughout settlements, buildings, space stations, and more. Players will have to build teams by learning the game’s eight affinities, and their specific strengths and weaknesses. Similar to the way Pokemon have specific type advantages in battle, different affinities in No Man’s Sky will have strengths and weaknesses over the others. For example, companions that are Fire-based will have an advantage over Ice-based, but they’ll struggle when facing attacks that are radioactive.

To accommodate these changes, No Man’s Sky is increasing the maximum number of creature companions with the new update. Now, players will be able to have a maximum of 30 companions, as opposed to the previous 18. Players looking for suitable companions can use the Analysis Visor’s creature survey mode, which will offer information about battle traits. Two months after No Man’s Sky‘s huge Remnant update, it looks like audiences should have a lot to keep them invested.

What’s That Weapon?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

What’s That Weapon?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

It remains to be seen how players will feel about No Man’s Sky‘s new update, but Xeno Arena seems like a natural evolution for the game. No Man’s Sky‘s appeal boils down to the joys of exploration and customization. This new update should give players more ways to appreciate the game’s vast world while building a custom team of companions that meets their needs. It’s just another example of how Hello Games continues to expand on what came before. After 10 years, No Man’s Sky has grown far beyond what anyone initially expected, and that seems like a very good thing.