Eight years after its rocky launch, No Man’s Sky finally hits “Very Positive” reviews threshold on Steam

No Man’s Sky Achieves “Very Positive” Rating on Steam After Eight Years

Eight years after its tumultuous launch, No Man’s Sky has finally reached a significant milestone by securing enough positive player reviews on Steam to shift its overall rating to “Very Positive”. When the game initially released in August 2016, it faced a barrage of criticism, resulting in an “Overwhelming Negative” rating on Steam. However, through consistent updates and improvements, Hello Games managed to gradually turn the tide.

It was a slow climb for No Man’s Sky to improve its reputation, taking two years to move from “Overwhelming Negative” to “Mixed”, and another three years to reach an average user review rating of “Mostly Positive” in 2021. Tim Woodley from Hello Games acknowledged the challenge, stating, “Each percentage point becomes exponentially harder to earn as you move up the ratings.”

This year’s biggest No Man’s Sky update overhauled world generation. Watch on YouTube

After a total of 35 free content updates and years of dedication, No Man’s Sky has finally achieved a “Very Positive” rating on Steam, with 80% of its reviews being positive. Studio boss Sean Murray expressed his gratitude, saying, “Holy shit you guys – it happened. ALL REVIEWS: Very Positive. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have no idea what this means to us.”

The next challenge for No Man’s Sky is to reach the esteemed “Overwhelming Positive” category, occupied by top-tier games like Sekiro and Persona 5. Achieving this goal would require an even higher percentage of positive reviews, showcasing the magnitude of the accomplishment. Despite this lofty ambition, the shift to “Very Positive” is a testament to the relentless effort Hello Games has put into enhancing its space exploration experience.

The recent update for No Man’s Sky introduced cross-save support, PlayStation 5 Pro enhancements, and even the iconic Normandy ship from Mass Effect. With multiple major updates throughout the year, including additions like fishing, revamped space stations, and significant world generation enhancements, Hello Games continues to expand and improve the game.

Looking ahead, Hello Games is gearing up for its procedural planet adventure Light No Fire, hinting at a promising future for the studio. Whether we’ll hear more about it during December’s The Game Awards remains uncertain, but one thing is clear – the journey of No Man’s Sky is far from over.