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10 years later, Sean Murray still plays the launch version of No Man’s Sky, and he still likes it: “It does feel quite barebones in places, but I kind of enjoy that”
Sean Murray, the founder of Hello Games and creator of No Man's Sky, has revealed that a decade after the game's launch he still plays the original 2016 version rather than the heavily updated modern release. Speaking as the game marks its 10th anniversary, Murray said he continues to find enjoyment in the stripped-down launch build despite its well-documented shortcomings at release, offering a personal reflection on how far the game has come since its troubled debut.
Murray acknowledged the game's early limitations directly, saying "It does feel quite barebones in places, but I kind of enjoy that," suggesting he values the simplicity and rawness of the original experience even though No Man's Sky has since received numerous free content updates that dramatically expanded its features, visuals and gameplay systems over the years.
In short
- Sean Murray still plays No Man's Sky's original 2016 launch version.
- He admits it feels barebones but says he enjoys that.
- Comments come as the game marks its 10th anniversary.
Explained simply
No Man’s Sky is a science-fiction exploration game made by British studio Hello Games. Players travel between planets, gather resources and discover new places in a vast, procedurally generated universe.
The game was released in 2016 under the leadership of studio founder Sean Murray. Its launch version had fewer features than many players expected; Hello Games later added substantial free updates, expanding the game over time. The difference between those versions helps explain why the original can feel much simpler than the game available today.