No Man’s Sky (2016): runs on Windows 11, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck?

Windows 11✓
Steam Deck✓ Verified
Mac✓
Linux✓ Proton Gold

Gamicality score 71 / 100

Playability today ★★★★★ 4

Runs today5 / 5
Design today3 / 5
See the checks

Steam user reviews Very Positive

352,858 reviews83% positive
Steam store page

Get it on Steam Get it on GOGDRM-free

Released: 2016
Developer: Hello Games
Genre: Action, Adventure
Time to beat: About 32.5 hours for the main story HowLongToBeat
Runs on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Steam Deck
Last checked: October 31, 2026

Does No Man’s Sky run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11	✓Listed in the store's system requirements. Source
Mac (Apple Silicon)	✓Runs on Apple Silicon. Source
Linux	✓Through Proton. ProtonDB: Gold, runs perfectly after tweaks. Source
Steam Deck	✓Verified by Valve. Source

Played it lately? Press Works for me or Doesn’t work on your platform, so the next player knows. One click, no account. How we check where it runs

Synopsis

A first-person space exploration and survival game set in a procedurally generated universe of countless planets. Stranded beside a broken starship, you gather resources to repair it, then fly between worlds to explore, build bases, trade and follow a loose central mystery, alone or with other players.

What people say

At its 2016 launch, critics admired its scale and sense of wonder but found the play repetitive and thin, and many felt it fell short of what had been promised. Years of free updates since then have added base building, multiplayer, story missions and much more, and its standing with players has risen sharply. Players today praise the freedom to set their own goals and the beauty of its worlds, while still citing a long, poorly explained opening, constant resource upkeep, a repetitive loop over time, and uneven performance with stutters on some PCs.

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

5 / 5

✓Sold or given away today by an official source
✓Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
✓Single-player works without an internet connection
GOG sells a DRM-free version that plays offline (GOG).
✓All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
PCGamingWiki records no shut-down servers or lost content (PCGamingWiki).
✓Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
Native widescreen and modern resolutions (PCGamingWiki).
✓Full controller support or remappable controls
Remappable keys (PCGamingWiki).
✓Steam Deck Verified or Playable
✓No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
✓No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
✓No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
The open issues PCGamingWiki lists are minor and do not stop play (PCGamingWiki).

From the Steam store, Valve’s Steam Deck rating and the sources under each check. Checks not confirmed yet don’t count.

Design today

3 / 5

✓Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Mouse and keyboard and controllers both work, with full remapping, and the Steam version uses Steam Input presets for DualSense, Xbox, Switch and Steam Deck. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
✗Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screens
Inventory and crafting systems are described by players as overwhelming, and critics called the menus frustrating, though 4K and ultrawide are supported. Source: vaporlens.app, pcgamingwiki.com.
✓Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
The game saves automatically at regular points and syncs through Steam Cloud, and the saves players lose are blamed on crashes rather than the design. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, vaporlens.app.
✗Hard to make progress without a guide
The opening tutorial is long and weakly explained, and players say early guidance is unclear until the ship is repaired. Source: vaporlens.app.
✗Pacing drags: grind, filler or forced backtracking
The opening is slow, refilling oxygen, fuel and life support adds constant friction, and many players find the loop repetitive over time. Source: vaporlens.app.
✓Camera and movement never fight the player
Walking, jetpacking and flying use a first-person view with an adjustable field of view, and players raise no camera complaints. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.