Is it Possible to Visit all Planets in No Man’s Sky?
The Astronomical Scale
No Man’s Sky, a beloved space exploration game, boasts an astonishing 18 quintillion planets to discover. This sheer scale is mind-boggling, to say the least. Your character begins on one planet, only to discover a vast expanse of procedurally generated galaxies, each containing thousands, if not millions, of star systems and, subsequently, countless planets to explore.
The Reality
In a recent interview, Hello Games, the game’s developer, confirmed that No Man’s Sky’s vast expanse of 18 quintillion planets is a realistic calculation. With each planet differing in terrain, atmosphere, and alien life, it’s clear that playing through the entire game without repetition is an insurmountable task.
Time Considerations
To put the task into perspective, 585 billion years would be needed to visit all planets. This time frame is so colossal that the current age of the Earth (4.54 billion years) can be roughly 128 times over in that period! It’s daunting to think about playing through No Man’s Sky in mere human terms.
Exploring the Galactic Hub
The Galactic Hub is the largest and oldest active civilization in No Man’s Sky, which is made up of numerous stars and planets. By exploring the Hub, players can discover more about the game’s vast world and its numerous inhabitants.
Time Required for Full Exploration
According to No Man’s Sky’s Game Director, Sean Murray, fully exploring No Man’s Sky requires infinite time, as new planets are generated in an endless sequence. This means that exploration is an ongoing journey with no defined endpoint.
Why Visit Every Planet?
There are a few reasons why players might aim to visit every planet in No Man’s Sky:
• Completist’s Pleasure: Some gamers enjoy the challenge of completing every mission, and visiting every planet provides a sense of fulfillment.
• Exploration Thrill: Discovering new, unexplored planets can spark a sense of adventure and excitement.
• Community Recognition: Visiting all planets can provide bragging rights in the No Man’s Sky community.
Breaking Down the Challenge
To put this seemingly insurmountable task into a more manageable context, consider the following points:
- No Man’s Sky currently has 255 galaxies available to explore.
- Each galaxy consists of approximately 1,000 planets.
- With an estimated 60% of planets still untouched, there’s 600,000 unseen planets.
- This totals to an estimated 108,000 billion hours of exploration time needed to visit every planet.