No Man's Sky Xeno Arena update feels like "a really great and simplified Pokemon clone," fans say, and is basically "a whole new game" to play within the survival gem

A couple of days have passed since No Man's Sky received its new Xeno Arena update, and that means the community has had more than enough time to get a first taste of its Pokemon and Palworld-esque creature battling system – a system that's already proving popular.

In case you're out of the loop, the Xeno Arena update dropped on April 8, adding a pet-battling system that's reminiscent of creature-collectors like Palworld, Pokemon, and the like. It's certainly an unexpected addition to the space exploration and survival game, but it does finally give us more incentive to uncover new fauna – and it looks like fans are more than pleased with its content so far (me included, honestly).

This update is much, much more fun than I thought it would be from r/NoMansSkyTheGame

Over on Reddit, one player admits, "This update is much, much more fun than I thought it would be."

They go on to describe it as "a really great and simplified Pokemon clone" – a comparison that I can certainly see myself, considering, you know, the whole battling system and all – and explain why No Man's Sky is the perfect game for something like Xeno Arena: it "has the advantage of a vast variety of creatures, and a lot of them are practically unique."

I most definitely agree with them there – be they cute or, erm, penis-shaped, there are plenty of strange, wriggly creatures to find in No Man's Sky… and loads of planets to explore to find them on.

As a commenter puts it, "This update has me hopping between star systems, specifically looking for fauna for the first time in years." Another replies, "I might bother to visit non-exotic & non-paradise worlds now." There's actually reason to, after all.

A separate thread echoes the positive sentiment surrounding Xeno Arena, reading, "don't knock it until you've tried it." The poster says, "It's a whole new game within No Man's Sky" – which, I mean, is technically true.

It functions as a sort of mini-game or game-y feature in the bigger game, and it delivers on that end for sure. Plus, again, "it gives purpose to companions," and that's something that many of us have wanted for ages now.

Xeno Arena, don't knock it, until you've tried it. from r/NoMansSkyTheGame

Other folks address concerns about Xeno Arena perhaps feeling awkward or not fitting well into No Man's Sky, with one post on the matter reassuring fans that "it fits perfectly" and "gives us a reason to care about thoroughly exploring each planet's creatures for reasons beyond units, nanite, and finding certain breeds of creatures like dinos, dragons, mech and such." In other words, Xeno Arena is a massive W for Hello Games.

I can't say I'm surprised. I'm a big fan of it so far myself, as someone who has always been interested in the fauna (even if it served no real purpose) on planets. I hope Light No Fire breathes even more life into its own odd creatures, whatever they may be.

Almost 2 years later, No Man's Sky boss finally responds to fan asking for Pokemon-style update: "We did it."