Hello Games

How many copies did No Man’s Sky sell? — 2024 statistics

From sky-high to bye-bye, the meteoric rise and fall.

Fact-checked
Release Date
August 9, 2016
Genre
Action-adventure
Developer
Hello Games
Publisher
Hello Games

No Man’s Sky,” developed by the indie studio Hello Games, is an action-adventure survival game that takes players on an extraordinary journey through an expansive, procedurally generated universe. Since its release in August 2016, the game has achieved notable success, with No Man’s Sky sales surpassing some of the bigger rivals.

No Man’s Sky statistics highlight its impressive launch, with over 212,000 concurrent players on Steam during its first day. Despite initial fluctuations in player count, continuous updates and expansions have maintained a strong and dedicated player base. The game’s unique blend of exploration, survival, and space combat continues to captivate players worldwide, solidifying its position as a significant title in the gaming industry.

No Man’s Sky has sold over 10 million units since launch.

(Source: Eurogamer)

  • No Man’s Sky was the top downloaded title from the PlayStation Store in August 2016.
  • It was the second-highest selling game in North America by revenue in August 2016.
  • Estimated sales of over 823,000 copies on Steam in 2016.
  • The game had the second-largest PlayStation 4 launch title in the UK, following Uncharted 4.
  • Sales dropped by 81% in the second week in the UK.

No Man’s Sky has sold over 10 million units since its launch, demonstrating its significant impact and reach in the gaming community. In August 2016, it was the top downloaded title from the PlayStation Store and ranked as the second-highest selling game by revenue in North America. On Steam, the game achieved estimated sales of over 823,000 copies in 2016. In the UK, “No Man’s Sky” had the second-largest PlayStation 4 launch title, trailing only “Uncharted 4.” However, this success was tempered by a dramatic 81% drop in sales in the second week in the UK. These statistics underscore the game’s strong initial sales performance and its subsequent challenges in maintaining momentum.

On the first day of the Windows release, the game had more than 212,000 concurrent players on Steam.

(Source: PC Gamer, Mandatory, VG247)

  • Week later the concurrent player count on Steam fell under 23,000.
  • Thats a drop in number of players by 89%.
  • The number of concurrent players on Steam fell to around 2,100 by the end of September 2016.
  • After being added to Xbox Game Pass in June 2020, over one million new players joined within a month.

The launch of No Man’s Sky saw an impressive start, with over 212,000 concurrent players on Steam on its first day. However, this initial success was followed by a significant drop, with concurrent players falling to under 23,000 just a week later—a decline of 89%. By the end of September 2016, the number of concurrent players further decreased to around 2,100. Despite this dramatic early drop-off, the game experienced a resurgence when it was added to Xbox Game Pass in June 2020, attracting over one million new players within a month. This trajectory highlights the game’s ability to recover and grow its player base through continuous updates and platform expansions.

No Man’s Sky revenue on Steam reached $128 million from 3.3 million units sold.

(Source: Video Game Insights, Polygon)

  • No Man’s Sky revenue on Steam in 2016 was estimated to be over $43 million.
  • The Steam paid-game market as a whole brought in an estimated $3.5 billion in 2016, about the same as 2015.

While blockbuster titles like Civilization 6, Dark Souls 3, and Doom were among the highest earners, the indie game No Man’s Sky also managed to make a significant impact, generating an estimated $43.2 million in revenue on Steam. This figure is particularly noteworthy given the controversy and criticism that surrounded No Man’s Sky’s launch. Despite the backlash, the game was still able to find a sizable audience and become one of the top-selling new releases of the year on Valve’s dominant PC gaming platform.

Sources

  • “No Man’s Sky Sony’s 2nd biggest ever PS4 launch in UK”. Eurogamer, 2016, https://www.eurogamer.net/no-mans-sky-sonys-2nd-biggest-ever-ps4-launch-in-uk
  • “212,620 people playing No Man’s Sky at once makes it the biggest Steam launch this year”. PC Gamer, 2016, https://www.pcgamer.com/no-mans-sky-sales/
  • “No Man’s Sky’s Number of Players Have Dropped by 89%”. Mandatory, 2016, http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/1023847-no-mans-skys-number-players-dropped-89
  • “No Man’s Sky is rapidly losing players”. VG247, 2016, https://www.vg247.com/no-mans-sky-is-rapidly-losing-players