No Man’s Sky Is Coming to iPhone: Release Date, Devices and Free Trial
Reported October 20, 2026 · Mobile gaming news
No Man’s Sky is heading to iPhone and iPad. Hello Games says the iOS version arrives October 28 with more than 40 major updates, touch controls rebuilt for mobile and a free opening segment to try. The U.S. App Store currently displays an expected date of October 29, so check the live store listing for your region as launch approaches. The game is not available to play on iOS as of this report.
Release date, download and full-game unlock
Hello Games’ iOS announcement and Apple’s Indie Games Week announcement both name October 28. The U.S. App Store listing currently says “Expected Oct 29, 2026.” That one-day difference may reflect storefront timing, but neither source explains it; consider the listing a live checkpoint rather than a guarantee of the exact hour.
| Question | Confirmed detail as of October 20 |
|---|---|
| Announced launch | October 28 from developer and Apple newsroom |
| U.S. store display | Expected October 29; check your regional listing |
| Access model | Free to try at launch; one-time full-game unlock listed in the app |
| Listed app size | 3.8 GB on the U.S. App Store |
| Platform | iPhone and iPad; iOS/iPadOS 26.0 or later plus A12 Bionic or later |
The U.S. store currently lists a $19.99 full-game unlock as an in-app purchase. That is a storefront listing as checked today, not a promised permanent price. The developer calls the launch free to try, and the listing says the beginning is free before a one-time unlock. This is an App Store release; no Android edition is announced in these sources.
Which devices and controls are supported?
The App Store’s technical requirement is iOS or iPadOS 26.0 or later with an A12 Bionic chip or newer. Hello Games highlights iPhone 11 and third-generation iPad Air and later as its examples; the U.S. listing shows a wider device compatibility list, including iPhone XS and XR. The safest check is the compatibility section on your own device’s store page.
The studio says it rebuilt on-foot and flight touch controls, with controller support, TV casting, and mouse-and-keyboard support on iPad. Its under-4-GB claim matches the listing’s 3.8-GB app size, though you should allow additional free storage for the install and later updates. Those controls and battery-life comments are the developer’s claims, not a hands-on performance test.
What is included—and what is limited?
Hello Games calls this the full universe and says more than 40 major updates are included, including the recent Cosmos update. It also calls out two meaningful limits: multiplayer is not supported on iOS at launch, and Planetary Settlements are supported only on iPhone 15 Pro and above. “Full universe” therefore should not be read as every feature being identical to PC or console.
For someone considering a mobile playthrough, the free opening segment is a practical way to judge touch controls and performance on their own hardware. The store states that a one-time purchase unlocks the full game; cross-save or cross-purchase behavior is not established by the two launch sources, so check the developer’s current support details before assuming either.
Quick answers
Is No Man’s Sky on iPhone already?
No. On October 20 it is listed for pre-order; the developer names October 28 and the U.S. App Store shows October 29 as its expected date.
Is the entire iPhone game free?
No. The start is free to try; the store currently lists a one-time full-game unlock.
Does the iOS version include multiplayer?
Hello Games says multiplayer is not supported at launch. For more coverage, see PoGamer’s Mobile Gaming category and PC Gamer category. This report uses developer and App Store details checked October 20, 2026.