As of April 2026, is a premium title that requires a purchase. However, there are several legitimate ways to play it at a low cost or for "free" through existing subscriptions:
: Hello Games regularly discounts the game by 50% during major Steam seasonal sales (Summer, Winter, and Autumn sales). no-man-s-sky-pc-free-full-game
: Occasionally, the developers run "Free Play" weekends during the launch of major new "Expeditions" (community events), allowing anyone to download and play the game for a limited window. As of April 2026, is a premium title