No Man’s Sky has received a massive update, adding a wealth of new content with Worlds Part II. The Version 5.5 update includes long-requested features such as Gas Giants, Ruined Civilizations, and billions of new planets ready for exploration.
This is the latest restructuring of No Man’s Sky’s beloved open-world science-fiction sandbox. Worlds Part I introduced Hello Games’ improved physics engine, enhancing the game’s atmosphere with volumetric clouds, rippling waters, and an upgraded weather system.
With Worlds Part II, Sean Murray and the team at Hello Games go even further, bringing a vast array of sci-fi wonders to the universe.
Gas Giants
As mentioned, new planetary biomes have been added — most notably Gas Giants, a highly requested feature since the game’s troubled launch nine years ago.
These massive planets dominate the horizon, adding to the game’s variety and sense of scale. Players can even explore these Gas Giants, though they must proceed cautiously as these colossal worlds are plagued by extreme weather conditions that can make survival challenging.
New Planets
Beyond Gas Giants, planetary diversity has significantly expanded. Jungles are denser, oceans deeper, toxic worlds more varied, and strange, otherworldly landscapes have been introduced to heighten the game’s sci-fi appeal.
The update also includes a significant overhaul to the game’s lighting engine, making each planet feel more alive than ever. With the addition of over a trillion new star systems, players will encounter countless new worlds, some potentially habitable — others deeply bizarre. No Man’s Sky’s ever-growing universe ensures that there is always something new to discover.
Deeper Oceans
Water physics has also received a long-awaited update. Water now reacts dynamically to its environment, from raindrops creating ripples on the surface to Starships disturbing waves as they take off and land. Players have been eager for another underwater expansion since 2018’s Abyss and will find Worlds Part II especially exciting.
New aquatic biomes will make every dive more immersive, as it is teeming with terrifying new creatures, exotic flora, and other surprises. The oceans of No Man’s Sky now bear a striking resemblance to Subnautica — minus the infamous Leviathans. That said a word of warning: Giant Squids now roam the deep.
Beyond planetary and environmental improvements, Worlds Part II introduces several long-requested quality-of-life updates. One of the most notable is Inventory Sorting, which allows players to organize their inventories with a single button press, an overdue but much-appreciated addition.
However, this update isn’t just about new planets and improved mechanics. Worlds Part II also brings expanded lore, relic planets, and a brand-new Abandoned Mode designed for those seeking a purely solitary experience in the vastness of space.
With its 30th major content update since launching in 2016, No Man’s Sky continues its remarkable transformation. Many now consider it one of gaming’s greatest redemption stories, and with Worlds Part II, Hello Games proves once again that their universe is still expanding and, as always, there’s more to follow.
Check out the official patch notes for No Man’s Sky: Worlds Part II here for full details.