No Man's Sky: Swarm update brings massive space battles and a community effort

No Man's Sky has received a new update called Swarm, bringing major changes to the game and introducing a new enemy: the Hive of Glass. Launched on May 27, 2026, this update is one of the biggest content releases for the game yet and leans into a community effort that gets players involved in fighting this new threat.

The Hive of Glass and their threat

The Swarm update introduces the Hive of Glass, a powerful enemy in the game that produces its own armies of robots, also known as swarmers. Players are split into three different factions: royal, sage, and weaver. These players must work together and compete in a shared war effort against the Hive of Glass.

The update also includes a striking element, a structure that resembles the Death Star from the Star Wars films. This structure adds new gameplay elements such as unleashing massive laser beams that can deal huge damage to fleets and even space stations. Sean Murray, lead developer at Hello Games, has promised this will deliver the biggest and most epic space battles in No Man's Sky yet.

The community effort

When starting the Swarm update, players are faced with a personality test that helps determine which faction they belong to. The combined effort and contributions of players are tracked through the Space Anomaly and the Galactic Atlas, with the most effective faction being honored in the Space Anomaly at the end of the campaign.

Contributions to the war are essential, as progress is measured through the construction of the Prismatic Core in the Space Anomaly. Players can take part in three types of missions: Purge, Restoration, and Sabotage, each with its own impact on the fight against the Hive of Glass.

Gameplay and rewards

Alongside the new enemy faction, the Swarm update brings a number of new gameplay elements and rewards. Players will encounter new enemy types, such as agile swarmer ships and the massive Hive of Glass boss. For the first time, crashed swarmer ships are available for players to investigate on dissonant planets.

Rewards for taking part in the war against the Hive of Glass include new posters, decals, titles, and the Direwasp rifle Multi-Tool, along with a customization set for their space suit.

The Swarm update promises that players will be immersed in exciting weeks ahead, with the outcome of the war against the Hive of Glass remaining unpredictable. With a robust community effort and innovative gameplay, No Man's Sky continues to surprise and engage players in an ever-evolving universe.