No Man’s Sky has released its massive Cosmos update, marking a decade of continuous support from developer Hello Games by finally allowing players to take over, customize, and network their own space stations across the galaxy. The free update 7.0 brings cooperative alliances, deep-space exploration tools, and orbital base building to all supported platforms.
Ten Years of Iteration and Forty Major Updates
Reaching this milestone required overcoming a troubled launch. When Hello Games shipped the sci-fi exploration game back in 2016, it faced criticism over unfulfilled expectations. Instead of abandoning the project, the studio committed to a decade-long redemption arc.
The Cosmos update represents the fortieth major release for the title. This ongoing evolution has consistently drawn players back to the ecosystem. Last year’s Voyagers update, for instance, pushed player counts on Steam to the most since the game’s initial debut.
Claiming and Networking Space Stations
According to Sean Murray, managing a personal space station has stood as one of the most requested features from the community ever since the release. For the first time, players can seize control of a station, modifying both its interior layouts and exterior architecture to serve as a mobile hub.
The system goes deeper than single-player customisation. Pilots can form alliances with other groups, linking individual stations into a sprawling network. This infrastructure supports competition with other groups, fundamentally altering how multi-player factions operate within procedural star systems.
Deep-Space Overhauls and Gravitational Tools
Beyond orbital real estate, the Cosmos update rewrites how players interact with the void. A redesigned star map reveals other places for exploration, complete with massive shipwrecks drifting in deep space. Players can approach these skeletal hulls and systematically dismantle them using a gravitational tool.
The update also introduces deep-space bases, asteroid fields, and a navigation challenge that lets pilots attempt a direct flight toward the star at the center of a star system. These additions target what Hello Games describes as a part of the game that remained almost unchanged: the space itself.
The Cosmos Feature Checklist
- Player-owned space stations with custom interior and exterior design tools.
- New alliance mechanics to link station networks and coordinate with other players.
- Freely placed orbital bases across star systems.
- Deep-space shipwrecks equipped for systematic dismantling via gravitational tools.
- Redesigned star maps and the ability to approach central system stars.
Platform Availability and Ongoing Support
Update 7.0 is available now as a free download across all supported hardware platforms. With forty major updates now deployed, Hello Games signals that development on the procedural universe remains active, proving that long-term post-launch support can fundamentally rewrite a software title’s legacy in the gaming industry.
