‘No Man’s Sky’ finds planet iPhone

An immense procedurally generated universe forms the setting of No Man’s Sky, a sci-fi exploration game that lets players pilot starships and explore 18-quintillion planets.

Those worlds await in a mobile version that is now available on iPhone and iPad. The game is also compatible with Apple’s first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, which the company launched last month (23 October 2026). However, the game is still being optimised for this format.

The Duo brings a different form factor to the mobile launch. Its conventional outer screen opens onto a larger inner display, adding a foldable handset to the range of devices capable of taking players from alien landscapes to starship cockpits and space battles.

Exploration involves more than discovering unfamiliar worlds. Players can gather resources, survive dangerous environments, trade valuable materials, hunt pirates and upgrade equipment. Those seeking a more structured adventure can follow a storyline towards the centre of the galaxy.

“There’s something incredible about this universe fitting in your pocket,” said Sean Murray, Hello Games MD, in a recent iOS Deep Dive YouTube video. “To be able to take your game from iPhone to iPad, even cast it to TV. I don’t think people realise how powerful these devices are.”

At the Duo’s launch in Johannesburg, Chris Dodd, iStore South Africa CEO, told Gadget that he expects the larger display to be particularly useful when travelling and praised the device’s form factor. He said: “It’s like bringing an iPad and a phone into one. The usability for people that are on the move is going to be so much greater.”

On iPhone and iPad, No Man’s Sky generates environments directly on the device rather than streaming them from another system. Developer Hello Games has packed a decade’s worth of content into a 3.8GB mobile download.

The mobile release includes more than 40 major updates added since the original launch in 2016. The content stretches from the early Foundation and Pathfinder expansions to recent additions such as COSMOS and Voyagers, which introduced custom-built corvette-class starships.

Fitting the experience onto mobile devices required a major overhaul of the controls. Hello Games has rebuilt touch interactions for exploring on foot, switching between first- and third-person viewpoints, piloting spacecraft and operating ground vehicles and mechs.

Inventory management, crafting and equipment upgrades have also been adapted for touchscreens. Players can work through the game’s extensive menus directly on their device rather than relying on a separate controller.

Physical controllers and TV casting are supported, while iPad players can use a mouse and keyboard. Hello Games has worked on reducing battery consumption and managing heat to accommodate longer gaming sessions.

The mobile version does have some limitations. Multiplayer is not supported, and planetary settlements are restricted to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer models.

On Apple devices, players can download and try the opening portion of No Man’s Sky for free, followed by a once-off in-app purchase to unlock the full game. The game is also available on PC, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. Android users, however, still have no version to explore.

* Visit the Apple App Store page for ‘No Man’s Sky’ here.

* Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and deputy editor of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky at @jas2bann.