No Man’s Sky goes full-on Pokémon in new creature-battling update - “This is an entire multiplayer game all of its own”

No Man’s Sky’s “Xeno Arena” update arrives today, introducing Pokémon-style creature collection and turn-based battle mechanics to Hello Games’ space exploration sim. The update allows players to discover and befriend alien creatures throughout the procedurally generated universe, assemble a team of companions, and train them by perfecting their genetic makeup and improving their stats.

Players can then test their creatures in simulated combat arenas where they engage in turn-based battles. The update features hundreds of unique battle abilities and allows players to challenge AI opponents representing alien characters. Hello Games states the new feature is inspired by Pokémon, Palworld, and World of Warcraft’s pet battling systems.

The Xeno Arena update is available across multiple platforms today, including Xbox and PC, and is included with Xbox Game Pass. This marks another significant content addition as No Man’s Sky approaches its 10th anniversary. The update represents Hello Games’ continued expansion of the space sim with new gameplay mechanics alongside its existing exploration, base-building, and multiplayer features.

Sources

• No Man’s Sky goes full-on Pokémon in new creature-battling update - “This is an entire multiplayer game all of its own”
• ‘We Got Pokémon In No Man’s Sky’ - New Xeno Arena Update Arrives On Xbox & Game Pass
• Pokemon battles with space cows, dinosaurs and gaseous blobs are the premise of No Man’s Sky’s latest update, dubbed Xeno Arena