No Man's Sky: Outlaws Update Adds Space Pirates

ign.com:

Space pirates are coming to No Man's Sky today with the Outlaws update.

Developer Hello Games announced that, while the previous Sentinels update focused on ground combat, Outlaws will overhaul space combat and add other new features.

These are headlined by the introduction of a pirate underworld that lets players embody Han Solo in new rebellion and smuggling missions. Outlaws have taken over space stations across the galaxy and turned them into dangerous, lawless places where players can purchase illegal goods and smuggle them out for a considerable cash reward.

The update also adds the speedy Solar Starship, the first new ship type in more than two years, and for players worried about giving up a previous vessel to make room, the number of ships a player can own has increased from six to nine.

Players can also hire their own squadron of wingmen with the Squadrons feature and are encouraged to build their perfect fleet of ships and pilots (which all have different, upgradeable abilities).

Hello Games has promised more speed and excitement in space combat overall with improved handling and visual effects. Enemy starships now have shields while the player's weapon selection has been broadened with new secondary effects such as being able to slow enemy engines or disable shield systems.

Ship versus ship combat can also now occur within a planet's atmosphere and pirates can raid players' settlements. For those who struggle with space combat, Hello Games said accessibility has been "significantly improved" thanks to a new Auto-Follow mode.

Outlaws arrives two months after Sentinels and is the 20th major update to No Man's Sky since it launched in 2016. Despite six years of post-launch content, game creator Sean Murray told IGN