Hello Games has done it again. On April 8, the studio quietly dropped “Xeno Arena” update for No Man’s Sky, and it’s one of the most unexpected additions in the game’s ten-year lifespan: a full-blown turn-based creature battle system, free for all players across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and VR.
The premise is simple. Players explore the universe, tame the alien wildlife they encounter on planets, and assemble a battle team from their companions. Those creatures then face off in holographic arenas called Holo-Arena tables, found at space stations, planetary buildings, settlements, and aboard the Space Anomaly hub. Combat is turn-based and tactical: each creature has a unique moveset shaped by its species and home planet’s climate, covering attacks, heals, stuns, shields, status effects, and more. There are 8 elemental affinities to learn and exploit, encouraging players to build diverse, synergistic teams.
Creatures gain experience through