No Man's Sky is a space exploration and survival game where the player explores a vast, nearly-infinite universe. Starting out on one of over 18 quintillion planets, the player is first tasked with gathering the necessary materials to repair and launch their ship into space. From there, the game is entirely open ended, though the ultimate goal is to reach the center of the galaxy. Along the way, players can mine for rare and valuable elements, catalog animal and plant life, search for ruins and alien artifacts, and converse and trade items and resources with several alien factions which inhabit the universe. They can also engage in piracy by destroying other ships. Players use the resources they earn from these activities to craft upgrades for their suit, ship, and multitools.
The game features procedurally generated planets, each with its own unique environmental conditions, elements, and life forms. Players must upgrade and configure their suit to adapt to the sometimes hostile environments. For example, on a cold planet, they will need to equip a heating mechanism in their suit. When discovering new species or visiting unvisited planets, players are free to name them whatever they desire - these names will be shared with other players if they reach the same location.
Multiplayer has been added to the game in a later update, allowing up to 32 players to be in the same instance of a star system. A group of two to four players can also form a party together, enabling them to explore and play together.