Hello Games’ No Man’s Sky continues to grow with its latest update, Expeditions, available now on all platforms. It introduces a new game mode called Expeditions, which offer a unique theme, “bespoke” challenges via Milestones and exclusive rewards. Players start with a randomized character and batch of technologies – once the Expedition has concluded, its rewards won’t be available.
New Expeditions will be added regularly and players can embark on Shared Expeditions, where everyone starts at a fixed point in the universe. As you complete Milestones, you’ll earn one out of 100 hand-crafted patches. Complete different phases of Expeditions and you’ll net rewards like a golden starship and helmet, a gold-fringed flag, a lightweight jetpack and more (which are part of the Pioneers Expedition). Other new features include an overhaul to Space Station missions with higher level missions having rebalanced rewards.
Weekend events have also been added, allowing all players to partake and earn Quicksilver. Sentinels have also been changed, providing a greater challenge for players and more dynamic combat. The in-game HUD has also been revamped, making it easier to read while taking up less space on one’s screen. Check out the full scale of changes here.
3.3 Patch Notes
EXPEDITION MODE
- Expedition Mode is a new game mode, accessed by starting a new game.
- In Expedition Mode there is no tutorial and the Artemis mission path does not automatically begin.
- In Expedition mode players start with a randomised ship, Multi-Tool and character customisation set. Their starting technology is also randomised.
- Every player beginning an expedition starts on the same planet.
- Expeditions are time limited. Players have a fixed period in which to complete a unique set of new challenges.
- Completing challenges awards a mission patch and unlocks rewards to assist your progress. These challenges, called milestones, can be undertaken in any order.
- The Expedition Page will show all earned mission patches, as well as track key exploration stats.
- Milestones can be pinned as your active mission via the Expedition Page, which offers targeted guidance towards their goal.
- Several milestones require a visit to a Rendezvous Point. These are specific points in the galaxy at which all players are required to check in in order to complete the expedition.
- Milestones are grouped into phases. Completing all the milestones in a phase will unlock exclusive rewards, such as new customisation options.
- The phase rewards for the first expedition include a new style of firework, a new banner, a new title, a new base part, an exclusive golden First Spawn helmet, a new jetpack style and a golden version of the iconic Alpha Vector starship.
- Once unlocked, these rewards can be redeemed on any save by visiting the Quicksilver Synthesis Companion on the Space Anomaly.
- When the time available to complete the expedition is up, no further rewards will be earned. However, the save will convert into a Normal Mode save and can be used to continue playing.
- Some milestones award inventory slots. These can be redeemed immediately or their token brought to the Space Station and applied via the Exosuit Upgrade Terminal.
- On key expedition planets, protections have been put in place so that resource collection is not synchronized across the entire playerbase, preventing exhaustion of the planet.