Hello Games is bringing its space exploration title No Man’s Sky to iPhone and iPad on October 28. The mobile release packs a decade of updates into a file size under 5GB, running on devices as early as the iPhone 11 while omitting multiplayer and planetary settlements at launch.
Hello Games Schedules October 28 Mobile Launch for No Man’s Sky
A decade after its rocky 2016 debut, No Man’s Sky is making the jump to Apple’s iOS and iPadOS. Apple and developer Hello Games announced the mobile port during the App Store’s Indie Games Week. Pre-orders opened on October 12, with the full release scheduled for October 28.
The project started as an internal challenge within the studio. Development began roughly three years ago around the time of the Mac port in 2023, after a team member suggested getting the engine running on an iPhone. Studio founder Sean Murray admitted he initially doubted it was possible until he played it himself.
App Store Indie Games Week highlights a total of seven acclaimed indie titles making their debut on Apple’s mobile platform alongside the space exploration epic. Carson Oliver, Apple’s head of App Store Worldwide, praised independent developers for taking creative risks to advance the medium, noting that these creators continuously push the boundaries of gameplay to deliver unique experiences.
“Indie games are constantly pushing the” boundaries of creativity to deliver unique gameplay experiences to Apple users, and we wanted to take a moment to celebrate these games and the teams that take creative risks to push gaming forward,
Carson Oliver, Apple’s head of App Store Worldwide
Hardware Requirements and the Under-5GB Storage Footprint
Unlike many demanding console ports confined to the latest flagship devices, No Man’s Sky supports surprisingly modest hardware. According to Digital Trends, the game runs on an iPhone 11 or newer, and third-generation iPad Air models and above. Digital distribution requires less than 5GB of free space.
That lean installation size is possible because the game’s universe is generated at runtime on the device rather than loaded from a static map. Hello Games focused heavily on battery optimization and thermodynamics to ensure long play sessions without overheating the hardware.
Sean Murray emphasized that bringing the title to older mobile hardware sets it apart from typical console and PC conversions that demand top-tier specifications. In a blog post announcing the port, Murray explicitly stressed that the application is not a trimmed-down version.
“This is not No Man’s Sky Lite.”
Sean Murray, Hello Games
Launch Limitations and Rebuilt Touch Controls
The mobile version is not a stripped-down spin-off.
However, compromises accompany the mobile launch, mirroring the original Nintendo Switch release. Multiplayer is absent on all iOS devices. Planetary settlement building is restricted to the iPhone 15 Pro and later models.
To accommodate touchscreens, Hello Games rebuilt the user interface and inventory controls from the ground up. Playtesting showed that mobile players often managed inventory faster than console users. For alternative input methods, the game supports physical controllers, TV casting, and mouse and keyboard setups on iPad.
Pricing and Availability Across Global Storefronts
The app will be free to try at launch, allowing players to sample the opening segments before purchasing the full experience. Regional listings reveal pricing variations across platforms. In the Philippines, the storefront lists the FULL GAME UNLOCK
in-app purchase at PhP1,290.00 with a release date tagged for October 29, while US pricing is set at $19.99.
Hello Games notes that future content support on iOS will depend entirely on community engagement and player numbers following the October release.