Play the greatest comeback story in video game history for even less than Steam's 60% off sale, just in time for another massive free update

Over the years, there have been some truly huge video game comebacks — Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy XIV, and EA's Star Wars: Battlefront II all come to mind — but few are as colossal as the recovery and subsequent resurgence of No Man's Sky. The procedurally generated space exploration game was raked over the coals at launch back in 2016 when it was missing countless key features and released in an absurdly buggy state, but over time, developer Hello Games frequently patched the title while regularly updating it with sizable expansions that are, to this day, completely free to access.

As a result of the studio's commitment to the game and its players, it's often lauded as the biggest comeback story in gaming history — and right now, you can get No Man's Sky for just $20.79 at CDKeys. That's a full $39 off the $59.99 MSRP, and an out-of-this-world deal that's even better than the 60% off discount available on Steam at the moment (buying from CDKeys gets you a Steam code).

No Man's Sky | $59.99now $20.79 at CDKeys (PC, Steam)

No Man's Sky | was $59.99 now $20.79 at CDKeys (PC, Steam)

Often lauded as the best comeback story in gaming history, No Man's Sky has grown to become one of the best survival and exploration games you can play — and just recently, it got a new free update called WORLDS Part 1 that drastically overhauls the quality and variety of its presentation and world generation.

Also see: $23.46 at Amazon (PS5) | $29.99 at Xbox (Xbox, PC) | $46.35 at Amazon (Switch)

💰Price check: $24 at GMG (Steam)

✅Great for: 
Sci-fi fans, gamers that enjoy endless exploration and survival mechanics, and folks looking for something to play with friends

❌Don't buy if: 
You prefer more structured and linear games, don't like survival mechanics, or don't enjoy sci-fi

🔥THE HOTTEST TRENDING DEALS🔥

Play No Man's Sky with the best deal I've ever seen

No Man's Sky Worlds Part I Update Trailer - YouTube No Man's Sky Worlds Part I Update Trailer - YouTube
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To say that No Man's Sky has come a long way from its disastrous 2016 launch would be the understatement of the century. Though it released very barebones and with a mile-long list of technical issues, Hello Games rolled up its sleeves and vowed to do right by the game's players with numerous patches and updates, all of which have been free. As a result, the infinite space exploration and survival game has been revamped multiple times over the years, with the studio steadily adding everything from new gear, base-building mechanics, and spaceship features to overhauled procedural generation systems and community-oriented multiplayer Expeditions.

In time, the game's reputation gradually flipped positive, and now it has a 78% "Very Positive" rating on Steam, with 93% of recent reviews on the PC gaming platform praising it and the team that's built it into the beloved experience it is today. Humorously, fans have even made memes about Hello Games' commitment to never charging for its expansions, with some practically begging the developer to let them pay money for them.

An alien world with glowing purple crystals in No Man's Sky. (Image credit: Hello Games)

This deal on No Man's Sky is the best I've ever seen, and it couldn't have come at a better time. That's because just a few days ago, it got the WORLDS Part 1 update — yet another massive free expansion Hello Games is calling "a complete refresh of the universe" that leverages the technology it's using to develop it's next game Light No Fire. It improves the quality, variety, and dynamism of the game's visuals and weather systems while simultaneously adding new possibilities for generated species of fauna and a new combat-focused Expedition that's heavily inspired by Starship Troopers. It's out now on PC and PlayStation, and is coming to both Xbox and Nintendo Switch very soon (it's worth noting the game supports crossplay, though the Switch version doesn't have multiplayer).

Hello Games' founder Sean Murray says in this deep dive that "the update is called 'WORLDS Part 1' because ... there's much more to come," so a Part 2 of some sort that elevates the experience even further is on the way. I wouldn't wait for it to get started with No Man's Sky, though, because there's no telling when it'll be this affordable again. Do note that it's on Xbox Game Pass, though, so you can play it on Xbox and Windows PC with Xbox Game Pass Standard, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate if you're a subscriber.

I've wanted to try out No Man's Sky for a long time, and now that this deal's availability has coincided with the release of WORLDS Part 1, I'm finally going to — you could say that the stars have aligned to make this the best time to jump in, especially with player counts higher than they've been in a long time right now. If you're curious about what gaming's biggest zero-to-hero comeback is like, you should too.

Does No Man's Sky play well on Steam Deck and other gaming handhelds?

No Man's Sky was decent on Steam Deck when Valve's PC gaming handheld first released in 2022, but it plays great on the system now thanks to some optimizations Hello Games made earlier this year. It's also excellent on more powerful Windows alternatives like the ASUS ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go.

Is CDKeys legit?

Yes, CDKeys is a legitimate retailer that sells legally obtained game codes for platforms like Steam, Xbox, and others. Often times, it has better prices than first-party storefronts, which makes it a great place to save money while getting games you want to play. For more information, read through our CDKeys FAQ.

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Brendan Lowry

Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. He's been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you'll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he's not writing or gaming, there's a good chance he's either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once. Follow him on X (Twitter).