No Man’s Sky is more than just some open ended adventure through space. There is actually a story within its seemingly limitless universe. In fact, there are several. Different paths offer players opportunities to get more insight into the galaxies and worlds that Hello Games has built, and some will lead you to different conclusions as you progress through the story.
The game is still brand new, having just been released on Aug. 9, but we’ve had a chance to see quite a bit of No Man’s Sky’s grand universe already. With that being said, we came across some conclusions that players can encounter. Here you’ll find everything we’ve figured out so far, and we will update with more as we continue to traverse the stars.
LAST CHANCE TO TURN BACK. SPOILERS AHEAD
Path of Atlas Denied
One of the paths in the game is the path of Atlas. This will task you with journeying to a series of Atlas Stations that each provide more information on what the galaxies and universe actually is, as well as your role in it all. Atlas can be pretty frightening and will demand a lot from the player, especially when it comes to dedication to the mission. You can choose to no longer take part in this quest at any time and that will close Atlas off to you. From that point on you are free to do as you please. But, Atlas leaves one question lurking in the back of your mind – are you truly free?
True Atlas
You can go the opposite route with Atlas as well and choose to follow this unknown entity to the very end. In order to get the actual Atlas ending, though, you need to do two very important things. The first is that you need to save all of the Atlas Stones that you obtain from each of your visits. You need 10 during the last stage to trigger the real ending. The second is to continue raising your Milestone rank. Each time you visit Atlas you need a specific level, and at the final one you need to be level Magellan or higher.
Once both of these are met you can choose the “birth new star” option. That causes an entirely new galaxy to form and you will be able to start the game over only with all of your knowledge and upgrades.
Center of the Universe
The center of the universe ending is found… well, at the center of No Man’s Sky. When playing, you’ll have a pathway marked on your Galactic Map that leads to the mystery that Hello Games set as the game’s biggest goal. Obtaining this ending is easy, but also the most time consuming. All you have to do is make your way to the center by following the path and using your Warp Drive to skip over star systems (this will cut your time significantly). We must warn you though, from your starting point the center is about 180,000 light years away. That means you’ll need a few thousand jumps with your starting Warp Drive if you’re going to make it.
However, there are several upgrades you can obtain that will allow you to jump significantly further. After a while, you’ll begin cutting down the distance with ease. Depending on how you play (stopping to explore, rushing, etc.) this process can take you anywhere from 60-100 hours, longer if you’re not in any real hurry. But, once you make it you’re treated to the game’s center ending.
When you reach the center you’ll witness a short scene as you’re pulled away from the final destination, which is just a very big glowing globe, at light speed. The camera pans, and then you’re sent rushing towards a new light before the screen goes dark. When it comes back on you will awaken like you did when you first started No Man’s Sky, on an unknown planet but in a different dimension.
For more on No Man’s Sky, including tips, tricks, guides, and information, check out our wiki.
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