No Man’s Sky Has Finally Won the Space Sim Race

Few games have had a journey like No Man’s Sky. After delivering one of the worst video game launches ever, Hello Games has gone through a redemption arc, and the space-faring survival game is better than ever. A part of why No Man’s Sky has turned its reputation around is the frequent updates it has received, many of which have been free. With the launch of its Voyager update in August 2025, No Man’s Sky can finally claim the title of the best space sim game, surpassing those that have come before it. Hello Games has reached unprecedented heights, and it is hard to imagine any game achieving more success.

While No Man’s Sky has received various updates over its nine years, Voyagers is perhaps the best. The features it adds are some that have been highly requested since the game was first released. The desire for these only increased after Bethesda’s Starfield launched with these mechanics. But what did Voyagers add to No Man’s Sky to solidify it as the winner for the best space sim race?

No Man’s Sky’s Voyager Update: Shipbuilding, Interiors, and Zero-G Walks

The Voyagers update for No Man’s Sky introduced a major feature: shipbuilding. The Corvette-class starships come with fully customizable interiors, ones that can be walked around in and freely explored. This is the most ambitious expansion from Hello Games yet. It represents a new freedom for players as they can build the ship of their dreams and take it into outer space. Players can fast-track unlocking the Corvette-class ship with a new Expedition and begin building right away.

In the workshop, players can then craft their spaceships with unique hull shapes, interior layouts, and even assign rooms for crew to gather. There are numerous customization options available, allowing players to express themselves. There are loads of different functions based on what is used in your ship’s interior, including windows that let you look out into the expanse of space. But this isn’t the only thing included in No Man’s Sky’s Voyager update.

Other key features include the ability to enter space and float freely, thereby making inspections of your ship easy. The skydiving feature also offers a new way to reach a planet’s surface, and seamless transitions from planetary surfaces and ship interiors expand on this further. The Voyagers update contains so much more and is the culmination of Hello Games’ vision for nine years. With it, No Man’s Sky is truly the most cinematic and immersive space game with unrivaled freedom.

Beating Starfield: A Built-in Edge in Ship Customization

With the Voyagers update, No Man’s Sky now has a feature that puts it beyond Starfield. The shipbuilding of Bethesda’s space RPG was one of the most exciting aspects, but it largely fell flat upon release. Even so, it was one reason fans used to purchase the game over No Man’s Sky. However, this is no longer the case.

In comparison to Starfield’s shipbuilding, which felt tacked-on, No Man’s Sky is used in a fully featured ecosystem. Not only this, but it utilizes its multiplayer aspect to its full potential with multi-crew starships. Players can play together, working as a crew on a single ship or flying in a squadron of customized Corvette-class starships.

The comparison between Starfield’s shipbuilding and No Man’s Sky’s is easily tipped in Hello Games’ favor. It’s woven into every aspect of the game. Exploration, missions, multiplayer, and more. And it is all free as part of the Voyagers update. Starfield may have offered the novelty of modular ship design, but No Man’s Sky combines it with depth, polish, and continuity.

No Man’s Sky’s Long Road to Victory

Looking back, it’s hard to imagine No Man’s Sky would transform from the overpromising and underdelivering launch to one of the most acclaimed space-faring games. Hello Games has poured nearly a decade into this redemption, and each update has won more goodwill from the community. This goodwill is no doubt going straight into the studio’s next project, Light No Fire.

Part of what has made No Man’s Sky’s climb to greatness so impressive is the incremental progress, all of which has been free over the last nine years. This includes new content, VR immersion, and improved features. No Man’s Sky and Hello Games have won the space game race, and there is no doubt of this.