'No Man's Sky' Is Doing Something Every Live Service Game Should Copy

"The best and worst part of live-service games is that there's always something new to do. Frequent content updates mean it's practically impossible to see everything a game has to offer, so you're rewarded for coming back again and again. But on the other hand, that feeds into the FOMO inherent in live-service games, leading players to log in even if they don't really want to just to avoid missing activities and rewards they know won't be around forever."

"In recent years, No Man's Sky has kept players around with large content updates and expeditions - mini-campaigns that the entire player community can take part in to earn exclusive rewards. Expeditions are usually only a few weeks long, tapping into new features added in corresponding updates, and they offer some of the best cosmetic gear in the game to participants."

"This year, players will get a second chance at five expeditions. From now through January 2026, these expeditions will run back to back, giving players less time to complete them than normal, but without any breaks in between. The first is Beachhead, the second expedition ever run in No Man's Sky. First held in 2021, Beachhead features a crossover with Mass Effect, with its biggest reward being a copy of the series' iconic Normandy spaceship of your very own. Beachhead runs until November 18."

No Man's Sky runs five limited-time expeditions back-to-back from now through January 2026, offering players a second chance to complete missed events and earn exclusive cosmetic rewards. Expeditions are community-wide mini-campaigns that typically last a few weeks and showcase new features from major content updates. The back-to-back schedule shortens individual completion windows and removes breaks between expeditions. The first rerun is Beachhead, originally held in 2021, which includes a Mass Effect crossover and awards a player-owned Normandy spaceship; Beachhead runs until November 18. Frequent updates and expeditions sustain engagement while also creating FOMO among players.

Read at Inverse