No Man’s Sky will be playable at no cost for Nintendo Switch Online members in Europe from 10:00 on August 20 through 23:59 on August 26, 2026, as part of Nintendo’s Jeux à l’essai trial program. The trial applies to the Switch version, while players on Switch 2 can download the free Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade during the same period, according to Nintendo Difference.
Trial details
The offer is available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers in Europe. Without a discount, No Man’s Sky costs €49.99 on the eShop. The trial provides access to the full game for its limited duration, including exploration, base building, combat and planetary colony management.
Players can play together in groups of up to four, exploring, building and fighting alongside one another. Nintendo of Europe has confirmed that Switch 2 players can use the free Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade to take part in the offer.
- Trial window: August 20 at 10:00 through August 26, 2026, at 23:59
- Region: Europe
- Eligibility: An active Nintendo Switch Online membership is required
- Base price: €49.99 on the eShop without a discount
- Switch 2 option: The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade is free during the trial
- Multiplayer: Up to four players can explore, build and fight together
Switch and Switch 2 releases
Hello Games released No Man’s Sky for Nintendo Switch on October 7, 2022, including a physical edition. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition followed on June 5, 2025, coinciding with the console’s launch. The Switch 2 version offers improved graphics and resolution.
The Switch 2 Edition had multiplayer and cross-save issues around its launch, as reported by Nintendo Life. Subsequent updates have been released for the game. Hello Games has also discussed the technical challenges involved in supporting Switch, Switch 2 and Steam Deck versions.
In a recent interview with GamesRadar+, developer Martin Griffiths said the studio generally spends two to three times longer getting updates working on Switch 2 and Steam Deck because of memory constraints.
A decade of updates
No Man’s Sky marked its 10th anniversary in August 2026, having originally launched on August 9, 2016. The game has continued to receive major updates during that time.
Director Sean Murray said the Voyagers update, which moved the game to version 6.0, was large enough that the developers had to rethink nearly every aspect of the game to integrate its content. Hello Games has also teased a future update called Cosmos.
Information on the most recent Swarm update is available at the official No Man’s Sky website.
