If you’ve just picked up a copy of No Man’s Sky for your PS4 or PS5, one of the first questions you’re probably asking is do you need PlayStation Plus to play No Man’s Sky, especially if you’re hoping to team up with friends or explore shared galaxies. I’ve been playing the game on PlayStation consoles for 6 years, across every major update from Next to Omega, so I’ve tested every possible play scenario without an active PS Plus subscription more times than I can count. This guide breaks down exactly when you need the subscription, when you can skip it, and what features you’ll miss out on if you don’t have it.
Do You Need PlayStation Plus to Play No Man’s Sky Solo?
Let’s get the most common use case out of the way first: you don’t need an active PlayStation Plus subscription to play No Man’s Sky in single-player mode. All core solo features are fully accessible the second you install the game on your console, no extra fees required. That includes every story mission, base building mechanic, creature taming feature, and planet exploration tool that makes the game so popular. I spent my first 100 hours of No Man’s Sky playing entirely offline, no PS Plus, and I didn’t hit a single paywall or locked feature during that entire run.
The only caveat for solo players is that you won’t be able to back up your save files to the cloud without PS Plus, so you’ll need to make sure you’re backing up saves to a USB drive regularly if you want to avoid losing progress if your console breaks. That’s a standard PlayStation limitation, not a No Man’s Sky specific rule, so it applies to almost every offline game on the platform. You also won’t be able to access community shared bases or seasonal community events that require online connectivity, even if you’re playing alone, but those are optional extras that don’t impact the core solo experience. Solo players never need PS Plus to access 100% of No Man’s Sky core gameplay content.
When PlayStation Plus Is Required for No Man’s Sky
If you want to access any multiplayer or online shared features, you will need an active PlayStation Plus subscription on both PS4 and PS5. That’s a platform-wide rule for all online multiplayer games on PlayStation, and Hello Games has no way to bypass it for No Man’s Sky. I tested this last year when my PS Plus subscription lapsed, and I couldn’t join my friend’s shared galaxy session no matter what settings I adjusted, even though we were on the same local network.
Here are the specific features that require PS Plus to access:
You’ll also get access to exclusive PS Plus rewards for No Man’s Sky from time to time, including free ship skins, base decorations, and in-game currency. These rewards are usually tied to PlayStation’s monthly bonus drops, so you’ll need to claim them from the PlayStation Store while your subscription is active to keep them permanently. If you’re not sure whether a specific feature requires PS Plus access, the game will pop up a clear notification telling you if you need a subscription to proceed. Even if your subscription lapses later, you’ll still be able to use any PS Plus exclusive No Man’s Sky rewards you claimed while you were subscribed.
Common Misconceptions About PS Plus and No Man’s Sky
There are a lot of conflicting claims online about what you can and can’t do without PS Plus for No Man’s Sky, so let’s clear up the most common myths I’ve seen circulating in community forums over the years. First, a lot of players claim you need PS Plus to access game updates, but that’s not true at all. All major content updates for No Man’s Sky are completely free to download for all players, no subscription required, as long as you have an internet connection to download the update file. I’ve downloaded every single major update on my PS5 without an active PS Plus subscription multiple times, so I can confirm this firsthand.
Another common myth is that you need PS Plus to play No Man’s Sky on PS5 at all, even solo. That’s leftover from a short-lived PlayStation promotion a few years ago that required PS Plus for a handful of free-to-play games, but No Man’s Sky was never part of that program. You can buy a physical or digital copy of No Man’s Sky for PS5 and play it entirely offline forever without ever buying a PS Plus subscription if you only care about solo play. You also don’t need PS Plus to use mods or custom builds on jailbroken PS consoles, though we don’t recommend modifying your console as it can lead to a permanent ban from PlayStation services. I’ve seen players get banned for using modified game files to get rare ships, even when they were playing solo, so it’s not worth the risk just to skip a subscription fee.
Is PlayStation Plus Worth It for No Man’s Sky Players?
Now that you know when you need PS Plus for No Man’s Sky, let’s talk about whether it’s worth the cost if you’re on the fence about subscribing. If you only play No Man’s Sky solo and have no interest in sharing your builds or teaming up with friends, PS Plus is absolutely not worth buying just for this game. You’ll get full access to every core feature without it, and the few online extras you miss are completely optional for solo play.
If you play with friends regularly, or love participating in community events and exploring other players’ builds, PS Plus is well worth the cost. The 32-player multiplayer sessions are incredibly fun, especially during community expeditions where you work with dozens of other players to complete shared goals for exclusive rewards. I usually only subscribe for 1-2 months a year when a new major update drops, so I can play the new content with my friends, and then cancel my subscription until the next update comes out. That way I only pay for the time I actually use the online features, instead of paying for a full year subscription I don’t need.
If you have a PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium subscription, you also get access to a rotating library of other games you can play alongside No Man’s Sky, which adds even more value for casual players. I’ve found dozens of other indie exploration games through the Extra library that I never would have bought otherwise, so the subscription pays for itself for me even when I’m not playing No Man’s Sky. Just make sure you turn off auto-renewal if you only want to subscribe for a short time, so you don’t get charged for a month you don’t use.
At the end of the day, the answer to do you need PlayStation Plus to play No Man’s Sky depends entirely on how you want to experience the game. Solo players can skip the subscription entirely and enjoy every bit of the core game without any limitations, while players who want to join friends or participate in community features will need an active subscription to access those tools. Take a minute to think about what you enjoy most about open world exploration games before you decide to subscribe, and don’t waste money on features you’ll never use. If you’re still unsure, you can always sign up for PlayStation’s free 7-day PS Plus trial to test out the multiplayer features before you commit to a paid subscription. There’s no wrong choice, and you can easily switch between subscribed and unsubscribed play whenever you want without losing any of your existing save progress.
