No Man's Sky vs Star Citizen 2025

Introduction

No Man’s Sky and Star Citizen are two of the most talked-about space games in recent years, but they offer very different experiences. In 2025, No Man’s Sky stands as a complete, polished space exploration game with a vast procedural universe, while Star Citizen remains in active development, promising an ultra-realistic virtual galaxy that is still growing. This guide will help new players compare the two, understand their key differences, and learn how to get started in each. By the end, you’ll have a clear idea of which game fits your style and how to begin your cosmic journey, whether you crave an instant sandbox adventure or a carefully detailed space simulation.

Game Overviews

No Man’s Sky is a space exploration game developed by Hello Games. It launched in 2016 and, after an initially rocky start, has evolved into a beloved open-world space title thanks to a constant stream of free expansions. By 2025, No Man’s Sky has received over a dozen major updates, introducing new gameplay elements and graphical enhancements. The game features a procedurally generated universe with 18 quintillion planets, each with unique environments, wildlife, and resources. Players can explore planets on foot, pilot atmospheric crafts, build bases, farm, trade, and complete missions or storylines. No Man’s Sky supports solo play as well as multiplayer co-op, and it runs on PC and consoles (Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch). The game is stable, complete, and full of content, making it friendly for beginners and explorers.

Star Citizen, by Cloud Imperium Games, is an ambitious space simulation currently in development. It was first funded in 2012 and has since grown into a massive project aiming to create a persistent online universe with ultra-detailed spaceflight, combat, trading, and first-person action. As of 2025, Star Citizen is still in Alpha (early access), with frequent updates that add new planets, ships, and features. Unlike No Man’s Sky, it is not yet a finished product and has no official release date; development is ongoing, and the finished version is expected several years out. However, Star Citizen already offers a live online universe where players can fly dozens of highly detailed ships, run missions, engage in dogfights, mine asteroids, and even play first-person shooter sequences. Star Citizen is PC-only (Windows) and demands a high-end computer. It is geared toward players who enjoy complex simulations and social, multiplayer experiences.

Key Differences at a Glance:

• Release Status: No Man’s Sky is fully released (Version 5.x in 2025) with all major features implemented. Star Citizen is in active development (Alpha), with frequent updates but many features still coming.
• Universe Scale: No Man’s Sky uses procedural generation to offer billions of star systems and trillions of planets. Star Citizen has a smaller but meticulously crafted universe (dozens of star systems) that will grow over time.
• Gameplay Focus: No Man’s Sky blends exploration, survival, base-building, and light-space combat in a more casual, accessible way. Star Citizen emphasizes realism, complex multi-crew ships, and a variety of multiplayer careers (trading, combat, mining, etc.).
• Multiplayer: No Man’s Sky supports multiplayer co-op (up to 32 players on a server) but many activities can be done offline. Star Citizen’s world is entirely online and meant for multiplayer, with a persistent economy and social features.
• Graphics and Immersion: Both games are graphically impressive, but Star Citizen pushes ultra-realism with hi-res textures and detailed ship interiors. No Man’s Sky features a stylized, colorful aesthetic with frequent visual updates (new lighting, water, biomes).
• Difficulty and Learning Curve: No Man’s Sky is more beginner-friendly with a forgiving survival system (you don’t permanently die) and straightforward mechanics. Star Citizen has a steep learning curve, with many systems, manual controls, and often complex multiplayer gameplay.
• Platforms and Performance: No Man’s Sky runs on PC and consoles (with cross-save across platforms) and has modest system requirements. Star Citizen runs only on PC and requires a powerful rig (16+ GB RAM, 4GB GPU, SSD storage) and is updated for the latest hardware.

Below we dive deeper into each game’s world and give you practical tips on how to get started.

Universe and Gameplay

Exploration and Scale

• Procedural vs Handcrafted: No Man’s Sky boasts an almost infinite procedural universe. Every time you jump to a new star system, the game uses algorithms to generate unique planets filled with varied terrain, flora, and fauna. You can spend hundreds of hours traveling and discovering new worlds. Star Citizen’s universe is handcrafted: developers actively design each star system, planet, space station, and landmark. While currently limited to select regions (for example, the Stanton and Pyro systems), each location is extremely detailed and realistic.
• Planetary vs Space Focus: In No Man’s Sky, much of the fun lies on planetary surfaces: scanning wildlife, mining resources, and exploring strange biomes. You can seamlessly transition from space flight into a planet’s atmosphere and land almost anywhere. Star Citizen focuses heavily on spaceflight itself. You can travel via jump points between systems, and while planets and landing zones exist (with rich cities or outposts), most gameplay revolves around flying, combat, and missions in space or fixed locations.
• Exploration Tools: Both games offer tools to aid discovery. No Man’s Sky provides a star map and scanners that highlight resource-rich planets or points of interest after you scan them. Terrain manipulators and portal networks allow special routes through the universe. Star Citizen features a starmap for navigation and mission intel. Ship scanners can detect cargo or points of interest, but exploration is less about random discovery and more about following mission objectives or player curiosity.
• Spaceflight and Combat: No Man’s Sky’s starships are nimble and colorful, with arcade-like combat. You can fight pirates, space creatures, and sentinel drones with laser weapons and missiles. Star Citizen offers a much deeper flight simulation: ships vary from tiny fighters to massive capital ships, each with advanced shield systems and power management. Combat in Star Citizen involves targeting subsystems, using countermeasures, and coordinating with allies in large battles. Each game’s combat style reflects its themes – NMS is fast and cinematic, SC is tactical and immersive.
• Base-Building & Customization: No Man’s Sky allows extensive base-building on any planet, including automated resource farms, decorative structures, and vehicles. Base-building adds a creative sandbox dimension. Star Citizen plans for player structures (like outposts and capital ships) in the future, but currently focuses on customizing your ships and loadouts. You can visit space stations or outposts to reconfigure equipment and cosmetics on your starship or suit.

Story and Content

No Man’s Sky includes an optional mysterious storyline about the Atlas entity, but most players carve their own path – whether that’s tracking alien species, reaching the galaxy’s core, or building a thriving base. Star Citizen’s single-player campaign (Squadron 42) is separate and expected around 2026; the MMO portion has no set narrative campaign yet, so you set your own goals. Progression is different: in NMS, you upgrade your gear (ship, suit, multi-tool) through discoveries and crafting, while in SC you earn credits (UEC) to buy better ships and tech. Both games let you improve at your own pace.

Community and updates also differ. No Man’s Sky gets regular free expansions and events – for example, 2025’s Worlds Part II, Relics, and Beacon updates added new star systems, biomes, and gameplay improvements. Star Citizen frequently adds new locations (like the Pyro sector), ships, and mechanics through its roadmap and patches. On PC, NMS supports fan modding (players add shaders, quality-of-life tools, etc.), whereas Star Citizen (still in development) has limited mod support – players mainly rely on official updates and community guides.

Getting Started: No Man’s Sky

No Man’s Sky has one of the friendliest beginners’ experiences of any space sim. Here’s how to get off on the right foot:

• Setup: Acquire No Man’s Sky on your chosen platform. The base game includes all updates, so there are no DLCs to buy — you’ll immediately have access to the full universe. On PC it’s about a 15GB download, which is smooth on most connections.
• Initial Tutorial: Launch the game and create a character. The intro will strand you on a planet and guide you through repairs (fixing your broken ship and multitool). Follow on-screen prompts to learn mining (gather minerals like ferrite dust and carbon) and crafting (create life support modules, fuel for your ship).
• Early Exploration: Once you fix your ship, leave the planet to explore. Your first priority is earning Units (the currency) and getting better gear. Scan animals, plants, and minerals with your analysis visor – each discovery nets units. You’ll also find salvage and missions at space stations. Complete simple missions (“deliver cargo,” “scan creature,” etc.) to earn credits and Nanites (a secondary currency for tech upgrades). Focus on upgrading your multitool and exosuit to handle hazards.
• Purchasing Ships: Your starter ship is basic, but you can upgrade. Look for crashed ships on planets (they’ll be marked on your scanner) and repair them to claim a better ship for free. Use trading posts at space stations to browse ships for sale – even saving for one with a few extra cargo slots or a faster drive makes gathering resources easier.
• Base Building (Optional): After you’ve gathered some resources, claim a base. Use a Base Computer blueprint to place your first structure on a planet. From there, expand with rooms, storage, and farms (oxygen, carbon, etc.). Building isn’t required to progress the main game, but it offers a fun project – with automated resource production and the chance to create a home in the stars.
• Multiplayer: You can invite friends or join others in No Man’s Sky. A handy cross-save system even lets you play on different platforms (for example, PC and PS5) under one profile. Teaming up can speed up exploration and base projects, but many players also enjoy the solo experience.

No Man’s Sky lets you play in your style. Whether you enjoy slow exploration, intense base-building, or anything in between, the game supports it. Relax and let the universe surprise you.

Getting Started: Star Citizen

Star Citizen can seem daunting at first, but the initial steps are straightforward once you know them:

• Create an Account: Visit the Star Citizen website and sign up. You’ll need to purchase a Starter Pack to access the game — this includes the game client and at least one spaceship. Starter Packs start around $45 (such as the Aurora MR or Mustang Alpha), which is enough to begin. The purchase also grants a baseline amount of UEC (in-game credits) for your first adventures.
• Install the Game: Download and run the Star Citizen launcher on your PC (Windows only). Ensure you have an SSD and at least ~100 GB of free space. The initial download is large, and patches will add up as the game updates, so a robust internet connection is helpful.
• First Ship: When you log in, you’ll find yourself in a hangar or landing zone with your starter ship. Learn the basics by interacting with NPCs or tutorial prompts — there’s usually a flight trainer. Open the MobiGlas (F1) to examine your ship’s components and inventory. Use WASD for thrust and Space/Ctrl for vertical; the flight can feel different from typical games (it uses “flight mode” to prevent constant drifting). If in a hangar, press F to call your ship for takeoff.
• Earn UEC: In the MobiGlas, open the Contracts Manager app. Accept simple missions like courier deliveries or bounty contracts nearby (for starters, look at jobs around Area18 or New Babbage). Completing these missions rewards UEC. Spend your starting UEC on necessities first: life support gear (MedPens, food, air filters) and ammo for your suit. Being prepared significantly improves survival in this unforgiving galaxy.
• Navigation: Press M to bring up the star map. Set waypoints for mission destinations or points of interest. Stick to law-abiding (“green”) zones until you’re comfortable. If you die or eject, you’ll respawn but with minimal gear unless you keep a backup. Thus, purchase cheap insurance for your ship slot and keep spare gear in your ship’s inventory to avoid losses.
• Team Up: Star Citizen is built for multiplayer interaction. Consider joining an Organization (guild) or playing with friends. Many advanced activities involve teamwork (like multi-crew ships and large missions), and having others cover your six makes exploring safer and more fun. The community is very active, and new players often find mentors in their first weeks.

If you want to learn more about getting started in Star Citizen, check out our beginners guide to Star Citizen for detailed step-by-step instructions.

Choosing Your Space Adventure

Which game suits you best? It depends on your play style. No Man’s Sky is perfect if you want to jump into a huge universe right now. It’s accessible (even on consoles) and its content is largely complete. The game encourages relaxed exploration: scan plants and animals, watch alien sunsets, and gradually enhance your gear. It’s also a one-time purchase with no subscription, making it easy to jump in and play at your own pace.

Star Citizen appeals to those who crave realistic space combat and social gameplay. Here you get an ever-expanding playground, replete with other players in a persistent galaxy. Be prepared for a steeper learning curve: controls are complex, and new features roll out over time. But you’ll enjoy some of the most detailed ships and worlds ever made in a game. If you love amassing a fleet of ships, mining in zero gravity, and coordinating with friends in epic dogfights, Star Citizen will captivate you (assuming you have a powerful PC).

Ultimately, both games let you travel the cosmos. Try them both if you can! No Man’s Sky often goes on sale or has free play weekends, and Star Citizen hosts free-fly events. Either way, you’re in for an unforgettable space adventure.