- Games
- No Man's Sky
No Man's Sky
A space exploration game where friends discover planets, collect resources and build bases across a shared universe.
Online co-op for up to 4 players, with crossplay.
- 4 online
- Crossplay
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-op4 players
- Local co-opNot confirmed
- YesPC, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch 2Friends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- YesA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- Not confirmedFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckVerifiedValve's own rating
About the game
You begin beside a damaged ship on an unfamiliar planet. You gather materials, repair equipment and learn to travel between star systems. On the ground, you scan plants and animals, mine resources and build a place to return to. Space stations offer trade and upgrades, and you can choose between following a story and setting your own goals.
Up to four of you can form an online group to explore, build or take missions together. You can share a building project or follow each other to a new planet, choosing what to work on together. Quiet gathering and sightseeing leave room to talk. Hostile weather, pirates and derelict ships give you reasons to prepare when you want a riskier outing.
How it feels
Kind of game
One lasting world your group settles. You gather, build and push into dangerous places together.
- At its heart
- Now and then
- Fear
- Tension and danger
- Story
- Working in sync
- Fighting
- Getting better
- Planning ahead
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- About
- Science fiction, Alien planets, Mining
Rated on our own feel scale. 6 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked No Man's Sky
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
Empyrion - Galactic Survival
Why it scores 85%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- About
- Science fiction, Alien planets and Mining
- Core to both
- Exploring
- Notable in both
- Time to hang out, Building and creating, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online co-op
- Online
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both are about science fiction and strange alien worlds. Both are about exploring places you have not seen.
No big difference from No Man's Sky.
Starbound
Why it scores 84%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- About
- Science fiction, Alien planets and Mining
- Notable in both
- Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Building and creating, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Exploring
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online co-op
How Starbound differs
- More jumping and climbing than No Man's Sky
- Online
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both have long calm stretches. Both are about science fiction and strange alien worlds.
But more jumping and climbing than No Man's Sky.
ICARUS
Why it scores 83%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- Core to both
- Time to hang out, Exploring
- About
- Alien planets and Mining
- Notable in both
- Calm and coziness, Building and creating, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online co-op
How ICARUS differs
- Fits a bigger group than No Man's Sky
- 8 online
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both are easy to play while you chat. Both are about strange alien worlds and mining and digging.
But fits a bigger group than No Man's Sky.
All co-op facts
Last checked 24 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Fewest players online
- Not confirmed
- Local co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on one screen
- Not confirmed
- Split or shared screen
- Not confirmed
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- No
The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
- 37161718
- Confirmed free setups
- Does not apply
- Crossplay between
- PC (Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
- 1011
- Only one of you needs to buy it
- Not confirmed
- Voice chat by distance
- Not confirmed
Platforms
Genres
Store IDs
- Wikidata item
- Not confirmed
Sources
18 pages
nomanssky.comOfficial site, read 23 October 2026
Backs Genres, Platforms, About, Exploring, Unlocks and progress, Planning ahead.
- Genres: The maker calls the game exploration and survival in a generated galaxy.
- Platforms: The press kit lists Windows, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch and Switch 2.
- About: The setting includes alien worlds, spacecraft, resource collection and equipment upgrades.
- Exploring: Flying between stars and discovering planetary life are central activities.
- Unlocks and progress: Resources and trade buy better ships and equipment.
- Planning ahead: Preparing suit and ship upgrades matters before visiting dangerous environments.
nomanssky.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Kind of game, Sessions, Building and creating, Story.
- Online co-op: The maker describes exploring, building and surviving together.
- Kind of game: Groups create colonies and explore dangerous worlds with persistent bases.
- Sessions: Bases and a growing universe support returning to ongoing projects.
- Building and creating: Groups can build planetary outposts, colonies and freighter bases.
- Story: There is an optional written story alongside free exploration.
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Release status, Fighting, Free base co-op.
- Release status: The base game is available to buy.
- Fighting: The maker describes choosing pirate fights or fighting hostile creatures between other activities.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID.
- Steam app ID: The response identifies app 275850 as No Man's Sky.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 23 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Verified on Steam Deck.
xbox.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Most players online.
- Most players online: The current Xbox product specifies cooperative groups of two to four. Larger ambient instances are a different limit.
store.playstation.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Free base co-op.
- Most players online: The current PS4 and PS5 product supports up to four online players.
- Free base co-op: The checked PlayStation full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
nintendo.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Most players online.
- Most players online: The Switch 2 Edition lists online groups of one to four.
nomanssky.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Crossplay, Friends can join mid-game.
- Crossplay: The maker confirms cooperative connections between PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
- Friends can join mid-game: Players can create or join a group in game and invite someone into an existing group.
nomanssky.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Crossplay between.
- Crossplay between: The Mac release explicitly joins PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S through crossplay.
nomanssky.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Crossplay, Crossplay between, Platforms, Single-player editions.
- Crossplay: The Switch 2 Edition adds full multiplayer and crossplay. The original Switch edition lacks multiplayer.
- Crossplay between: Switch 2 crossplay requires the Switch 2 Edition. Original Switch software is excluded, even when run on Switch 2.
- Platforms: Original Switch software is single-player, including its compatible playback on Switch 2. Native Switch 2 Edition adds multiplayer. Both remain available editions of the title.
- Single-player editions: The original Switch edition has no multiplayer. Switch 2 co-op requires the separate Switch 2 Edition, not the compatible original client.
nomanssky.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Release date.
- Release date: The maker marks nine years since launch on August 9, 2025. This establishes August 9, 2016 as first release, before the PC launch on August 12.
nomanssky.comOfficial news, read 23 October 2026
Backs Fear, Tension and danger.
- Fear: Optional derelict freighters use dark corridors, missing crews and hostile infestations. They support occasional scares rather than a constant horror mood.
- Tension and danger: Dangerous freighter interiors and hostile entities add pressure during optional salvage trips.
nintendolife.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Working in sync, Getting better.
- Working in sync: Nintendo Life, June 10, 2025. Shared activities coexist with personal interests.
- Getting better: The early systems can feel overwhelming.
nintendolife.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Calm and coziness, Time to hang out.
- Calm and coziness: Nintendo Life, October 11, 2022. Exploration can be low pressure, with adjustable difficulty and crafting costs.
- Time to hang out: Nintendo Life, October 11, 2022. Unhurried exploration and flexible difficulty support relaxed time together. This is an assessment of the shared loop, since the reviewed Switch version has no multiplayer.
gog.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
xbox.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked Xbox full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
nomanssky.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The maker factsheet gives a paid regular base-game licence and names computer, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo editions. The Switch 2 upgrade is free only for existing owners. The Nintendo purchase widget did not establish a current amount.