No Man’s Sky launches on iPhone and iPad on October 28, with a free trial at launch. In its October 12 post, Hello Games says the mobile version includes more than forty major updates, including COSMOS and Voyagers. It will not support multiplayer.
Compatibility starts with the iPhone 11 and third-generation iPad Air. That entry requirement does not cover every feature: planetary settlements require an iPhone 15 Pro or a newer model. For iPhone owners, checking whether the game supports their device and whether it supports settlements are separate questions.
A solo release with a substantial update history
The mobile edition will arrive with content from successive major updates rather than only the game’s original release. COSMOS and Voyagers are among the updates Hello Games names, but the breadth of that catalogue should not be read as a promise that every feature from other versions will be available.
The clearest restriction is multiplayer. Players will not be able to join friends through this iPhone and iPad edition, regardless of their device’s capabilities. That makes the port a different proposition for someone planning to explore alone and someone hoping to share a session with friends.
Settlements add a hardware-dependent restriction on phones. An iPhone can meet the minimum requirement for running the game while falling below the requirement for that feature. The announced iPhone threshold should not be extended to iPad, for which Hello Games has not specified an equivalent settlement requirement.
Touch controls, controllers and an iPad keyboard option
Hello Games says it has rebuilt the touch controls for mobile and confirms controller support. On iPad, players will also be able to use a keyboard and mouse. These alternatives mean on-screen controls will not be the only way to play. The announcement does not establish how comfortable or responsive each option will be in practice.
The studio also announces streaming to a television and a file size below 4 GB. That is the announced file size, rather than a measurement of total storage use after installation. Television streaming adds a display option; it does not change the edition’s multiplayer restriction.
A trial at launch, with terms still to be detailed
Hello Games said Apple App Store preorders were open when it published the announcement. This does not establish availability in every region. The promised free trial has no stated duration or defined content allowance, and the announcement does not give a price for access beyond it. A free trial does not mean the full game will be free.
For players considering this edition, the main tradeoff is clear: No Man’s Sky is coming to phones and tablets for solo play, with an additional hardware requirement for settlements on iPhone. The rebuilt touch controls and alternative input options broaden how players can play, but their practical comfort and the game’s performance across supported devices remain untested by the publication.
