Here’s everything you need to know about installing mods for No Man’s Sky.
Can I Install Mods for No Man’s Sky?
Modding has been possible since day one, and it’s only gotten easier and more complex as No Man’s Sky has aged. Mods can alter variables such as planet generation, weapon and ship statistics, and even introduce cut mechanics back in, like the exclusive flamethrower multitool addon.
Not sure what we mean by mods? Well, video game mods are user-made additions to the game that can range from small improvements to total overhauls. You can transform games, such as Minecraft, with mods, and the potential in No Man’s Sky is no different.
It’s important to note that since No Man’s Sky receives updates on a frequent basis, mods quickly become out of date. Make sure you check the upload date on any mod you might be eyeing off!
Do Mods Work in Multiplayer?
One of the cooler aspects of No Man’s Sky is how its multiplayer works, and the modding scene is no different.
Since No Man’s Sky has no restrictions on the client, mods are fully multiplayer compatible. Depending on the mod, other players might even be able to see and interact with your modded content.
We’ll go over how to make sure the mods you’re using are multiplayer compatible, but another important thing to note is that mods can increase the instability of your multiplayer experience. Particular mods might cause desyncs, or disconnect you from the multiplayer lobby entirely.
How to Find and Install Mods for No Man’s Sky
Like most modding scenes out there, No Man’s Sky mods have found a home on Nexus Mods. The No Man’s Sky Nexus Mods page, is the best way to find compatible mods.
Once you’ve found a mod you’d like, download and extract the file. You’ll most likely have a .pak file, and potentially even a .lua file.
Grab the .pak file. The .lua file can be ignored, as it is used for an alternate form of mod installation.
Next, head to the installation folder for No Man’s Sky. This will be different depending on your own setup. If you own the game on Steam, you can right-click on the title, hover your cursor over Manage, and click Browse Local Files.
Once you’re at the installation folder, titled No Man’s Sky, click on GAMEDATA and navigate to PCBANKS.
There are two things to note in this folder. First is the MODS folder. This should already exist. If it doesn’t, create a new folder and call it MODS.
Secondly, there will be a text file called DISABLEMODS.TXT. This text file automatically generates after each update.
You’ll have to delete the text file to enable mods. Don’t worry about backing it up; it’s simply a blank text file. Replacing the text file with another one will disable mods again.
From here, you’ll want to grab your .pak file from earlier and drop it into the MODS folder. That’s it! Next time you launch No Man’s Sky, you should see the mod warning screen before the start menu. This means you’ve successfully enabled mods.
Expand the Potential of No Man’s Sky With Mods
While No Man’s Sky doesn’t have a modding scene as strong as Skyrim or Fallout, the unique multiplayer compatibility draws people in to continue creating.
In a world of infinite procedural generation, one can only wonder where the mods will lead to next. But it’s safe to say: No Man’s Sky joins a collection of other games made even better with mods.
