'No Man's Sky' receives fishing, diving, and exo-skiffs via 'Aquarius' update (video)

video game characters in a lush setting go fishing in a lake while wearing spacesuits
Still from the "No Man's Sky" Aquarius update. (Image credit: Hello Games)

It seems that Hello Games' No Man's Sky isn't going dormant anytime soon despite the developer-publisher now slightly shifting its focus towards Light No Fire. With its latest (free) content update, the gigantic space exploration game is finally receiving what dads everywhere were asking for: fishing mechanics!

The latest update, which is titled 'Aquarius' and packs more than just fishing, comes after the massive 'Worlds Part 1' refresh that arrived in late July. Yep, it appears that most of Hello Games' developers are saving their holidays for later, as the eight-year-old space game's recent run has been nothing short of amazing. You might remember its launch back in 2016 being rocky and divisive to say the least, but it's slowly grown into one of the best space colonization games around, whether you're on your own or playing with friends.

Before getting into the juiciest details of all the new big features included in the update, which is available now, we highly recommend that you watch Hello Games' in-depth (but brief) overview video:

As you can easily tell from the gorgeous visuals alone, 'Aquarius' was built directly on top of the new water graphics and behaviors introduced in 'Worlds Part 1' and focuses on new systems and mechanics. Fishing has been designed to be as relaxing as possible, and underwater alien life has been expanded so "you never quite know what you're going to pull up" or catch with automated fish traps. Also, you might find mysterious messages in bottle ...

If you're someone who prefers the peace and solitude of huge bodies of water instead of a sandy beach or a small pier, exo-skiffs are new water vehicles which, of course, can be customized and have inventories of their own. Moreover, it appears some fish are only found in deep waters, so you'll need to use them if you plan to become an alien fishing pro. Another option is to use the new deep-sea diving suit to get up close and personal, but gamers with a fear of deep water might nope straight out of the game at that point.

Related: New 'StarRupture' gameplay trailer is a killer bug hunt on a crazy planet (video)

Still from the "No Man's Sky" Aquarius update. (Image credit: Hello Games)

No Man's Sky is available on PC (Windows), PS4/5, Xbox consoles, and the Nintendo Switch. Moreover, it's currently available via Game Pass and has extensive VR support for certain headsets and platforms. 

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Fran Ruiz

Fran Ruiz is our resident Star Wars guy. His hunger for movies and TV series is only matched by his love for video games. He got a BA of English Studies, focusing on English Literature, from the University of Malaga, in Spain, as well as a Master's Degree in English Studies, Multilingual and Intercultural Communication. On top of writing features and other longform articles for Space.com since 2021, he is a frequent collaborator of VG247 and other gaming sites. He also serves as associate editor over at Star Wars News Net and its sister site, Movie News Net.