Xbox and Game Pass players would be forgiven if they’d missed any of the three major No Man’s Sky updates so far this year (Omega, Orbital and Adrift) given the rate at which our small team has been smashing them out.

We also recently announced our fourth update of 2024, and this one is so big we couldn’t fit everything in, so we’re calling it Worlds: Part I (version 5.0). Here’s everything you need to know about it.

As No Man’s Sky celebrates its eighth anniversary and enters its ninth year, we’re using our 5.0 moment to refresh the entire universe.

Similar to Beyond (2.0) in 2019 and Origins (3.0) in 2020, Worlds is the first update in a while to concentrate on really amping up the variety and diversity of flora and fauna you can discover. Incredible new biomes have been introduced while existing biomes have been completely refreshed.

It’s worth remembering at moments like this that, in No Man’s Sky, everything you see and discover has been generated by the computer. As you land on a planet, those creatures, plants, trees and terrain you’re seeing have never been seen before, not even by the development team.

For the Worlds: Part I update, the small team at Hello Games have let their imaginations run away with them and really fed the engine with a whole slew of new elements, which are assembled in a near-infinite number of ways as you land on each planet. This is what makes the weird wonderful and the wonderful weird. but all of it unexpectedly thrilling.

Moreover, to complement the vast array of new things to discover, the whole universe has had a massive visual overhaul.

In particular, the water expanses in No Man’s Sky, which have remained largely untouched since launch, are more realistic and inviting. They now glisten and shine and reflect the beauty of the skies and landscapes above them. As storms approach they show off their new-found dynamism as ripples turn to waves which swell as the weather system intensifies.

Above you, the new cloud systems are similarly spectacular. From delicate white wisps flecked against clear multi-hued skies, to foreboding billows that stretch from horizon to horizon and morph and build as the weather system approaches, there is a renewed sense of immersion when exploring planetary surfaces. And of course, as you blast into space and break through the enveloping mist, you get a totally different perspective from the upper atmosphere.

Visuals and variety may be the headliners for Worlds: Part I but there are a whole raft of new technologies and new gameplay, such as customizing solar ships, the liquidator combat mech and walker battles as well as the usual reams of quality-of-life updates Xbox players have come to expect.

In addition, there is a unique and limited-time expedition, this time focussed on combat. Unique and exclusive rewards are up for grabs for those brave Travellers who square up to the increasingly threatening critters you will encounter. Let’s just say fans of “Starship Troopers” will have a blast!

It won’t have gone unnoticed that this is just Part I of the Worlds update. There was a few other bits and pieces that we just couldn’t squeeze into this one, but we will be back soon with more surprises. In the meantime, there’s plenty to discover in Worlds: Part I, coming soon to Xbox.