No Man’s Sky – Space sandbox celebrates record numbers despite Starfield launch

The big name in space and exploration in recent months was definitely Starfield, which celebrated its release on September 6.
It’s all the more surprising that No Man’s Sky announced record player numbers again in the same month.

No Man’s Sky celebrates strong player numbers

Hello Games CEO Sean Murrey announced on Twitter that September was the “biggest month in the last couple of years” for No Man’s Sky.
He is referring to player numbers from the PC, Xbox and Gamepass versions, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Mac, and the VR spin-off.

On Steam alone, No Man’s Sky is celebrating its strongest month since September 2021, the developer added.

Considering that the game is now more than seven years old, and that it still succeeds in the release month of the genre giant Starfield, this is of course as surprising as it is pleasing.
One reason might be the recently released Echoes update and the subsequent expeditions, as well as the ongoing support in general.

However, there are also critical voices that see the strong player numbers of No Man’s Sky as a confirmation that Starfield might have disappointed many players.
In Starfield, you can’t move as freely on the planets as expected, flights are often handled via quick travel, and the first hours of the game in particular drag on like chewing gum for many players.

However, you can’t really compare the games with each other in a neutral way anyway. Starfield is an action- and story-heavy space RPG in which many things were built by hand, and No Man’s Sky is clearly about freedom, endless planets, and procedural generated content that keeps the game experience fresh alongside regular updates and expeditions.

In the end, though, all that remains to be said is that both space and the associated games genre seem to be big enough to house two strong titles in co-existence.