No Man’s Sky update lets you adopt wild animals as pets

Hello Games is adding companion animals to No Man’s Sky. Today, the developer announced a new update that allows players to tame wild creatures, bond with them, and even breed them. “They will travel side-by-side with you as you adventure through the universe both as a friend and as a valuable aide on your voyage,” Hello Games said.

Once tamed, you can feed, play with, and explore with your companions; a “neural harness” transmits their thoughts directly to the player’s communication channels. “Creature personalities are defined by their species and ecosystem, such that no two creatures are alike, and their personalities develop further as you deepen your bond with them,” the developer said. It’s also worth noting that running into other Travellers may set your companion off, making it act frightened or aggressive, if not playful.

Once trained, companions can perform a variety of tasks for their Traveller, from scanning for resources and digging up treasure to hunting fauna and identifying hazards. Players who take good care of their companions may find collectible eggs they can choose to hatch or trade to other players. The update launches today and will also include “significant improvements” for load and warp times on PlayStation 4.

No Man’s Sky is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, with the companions update kicking off Hello Games’ celebration plans. Since the game’s launch in 2016, the developer has continued to build the game through massive content updates.