No Man's Sky Getting Huge Update With Pokemon-Style Gameplay

2 hours ago 8

A player character swimming through the ocean, right next to a squidlike creature in the No Man's Sky Worlds Part 2 update.

Published Apr 8, 2026, 9:01 AM EDT

Nicholas Becher is a gaming journalist with an MFA in Creative Writing from FAU. With extensive experience playing video games, he covers all forms of gaming content at Screen Rant, from breaking news to the latest fan theories. Most-played games range from Clair Obscur to Civ to Elden Ring to Halo 2 and beyond.

No Man's Sky is a truly unique open-world sci-fi game that has come a long way over its decade-long lifespan, with Hello Games and creator Sean Murray rolling out countless updates that have turned the game into one of the best in the genre. While 2026 has been a bit slow in terms of No Man's Sky news, players are about to get a massive surprise.

There have been rumblings lately on social media that a new NMS announcement would drop soon, and (as usual), Sean Murray has delivered. According to a press release from Hello Games, the official new Xeno Arena update for No Man's Sky will introduce a completely new Pokemon-inspired multiplayer element and will be available today.

No Man's Sky Xeno Arena Update Launches Today

The new Xeno Arena update for No Man's Sky will introduce an entirely new multiplayer-based, Pokemon-style battle arena gameplay feature that allows players to capture creatures from across the universe, train them, and battle against other travelers. According to Hello Games, players can now use holo-arenas found in Space Stations and Nexus points where they "can battle their pets against friends, strangers and NPCs for huge rewards."

"It's a genuine path for players to progress in the game, with daily challenges to compete in for ultimate rewards. This is an entire multiplayer game all of its own, with absolutely tons of depth, now existing within No Man's Sky."

The update adds a completely new dynamic to gameplay, and is directly inspired by "Pokemon, Palworld and pet battling in World of Warcraft." Players can now check creatures' abilities throughout the universe, discover new attacks and skills that different species have, and "brings a new dimension to exploration [where] rare creatures and beautiful pets become something exciting to show off in the Arena."

Further, "each species has unique elemental affinities tied to their xeno species and linked to their home world," and biomes that are harder to find will be home to rarer animals or creatures that you can capture and train. There will also be "legendary variants with unusual and exceptional stats that can be incredibly valuable."

Xeno Arena also introduces a breeding and genetic modification system that allows players to create new variants, customize colors, and more. The update is a "multiplayer-enabled structure you can construct and open to other travellers," where you can challenge players, host your own tournaments, and even promises "ranks, leagues and future seasonal rewards."

No Man's Sky With Pokemon Is A Dream Come True

No Man's Sky Xeno Arena official screen asset 4

While No Man's Sky updates have been impressive in the past, the Xeno Arena update is taking things to another level. This is essentially an entirely new game within a game, and is a perfect reason for new players to try No Man's Sky for the first time.

Further, returning players have a new reason to dive in and kick the dust off their Corvettes and get back to exploring, and gamers who are still actively playing have an entirely new experience on offer. Overall, it's a great day to be a No Man's Sky fan, and the Xeno Arena update is available to download and try out now.