No Man’s Sky is heading into another busy year as Hello Games continues to build on the momentum of 2025. As the game enters its 10th anniversary, the studio has launched Xeno Arena, a new update inspired by games like Pokemon, Palworld, and World of Warcraft.

For years, players have crossed endless planets filled with strange life, from flying cows and robots to blobs and creatures that feel pulled from another world entirely. Now those animals are not just there to be found and named. They can be raised, trained, bred, and sent into battle as part of a new creature collecting system that adds another layer to exploration.

The update leans into the idea that every creature can matter in a different way. A rare robotic animal discovered on a distant planet may come with useful skills, while a creature from a toxic world or frozen moon may bring different strengths tied to its home environment. Such kind of variety should make hunting for new species feel more important, especially for players who enjoy building a strong team.

Arena combat is at the center of the new mode, and Holo arenas can be found in space stations and the Nexus, where players can pit their creatures against friends, strangers, and NPC opponents. Daily challenges and rewards give the system a clear path for progression, while leagues and ranks add more reason to keep returning.

Hello Games says some of the rarest creatures in the game are legendary variants with unusual stats, which could also create a new player driven economy around sharing creature locations and useful knowledge. Once a player finds a promising species, they can train it through feeding, bonding, sparring, and even genetic changes that may lead to new looks and abilities.

The Xeno Arena itself can also be built as a multiplayer structure, letting travellers host tournaments or challenge others across the galaxy. For No Man’s Sky, it is another step in turning its huge universe into something that is not just about travel and discovery, but also about competition and collection.