No Man’s Sky Echoes Patch Notes – Robots, Ship Trenches & the Voyagers Expedition

Following a few cryptic emoji posts on social media from Hello Games’ Sean Murray, The Echoes update has been simultaneously revealed and released. This update introduces a lot of new content, from robotic races and pirate frigates that can be obliterated to a new Expedition and the Voltaic Staff.

No Man’s Sky Echoes Update 4.4 is live as of today, August 24, 2023, for all players to download. Every user will need to download the latest update before they can enjoy the content from Echoes. Thankfully, this update has something for everyone and is a pretty major overhaul to most of the game’s systems.

Related: No Man’s Sky: Monoliths Riddles and Answers Solved

No Man’s Sky Echoes Update 4.4 Patch Notes

Below, we’ve broken down every part of the Echoes update for No Man’s Sky. Players should check out the full patch notes from Hello Games if there are any minor points they don’t see listed here that they’re curious about.

Mechanical Lifeforms

The biggest addition to No Man’s Sky in the Echoes update is a new race of robotic lifeforms. These were briefly hinted at in Expedition 10: Singularity, but are now a part of the universe for everyone. They further the narrative that started in the Interceptor update and are known as the Autophage. They’ll appear in a variety of styles because they’re made up of scrap metal and cloth.

Players can use the mysterious material added in the Sentinels update, Atlantideum, to interact with Korvax Monoliths. This will reveal hidden stories that link their minds with the history of the Autophage, telling the tale of where they came from.

There’s a universal secret to uncover by using Autophage technology to scan crashed frigates and habitable planets for Cloaked Autophage Encampments. These reveal secret, hidden Autophage Constructs that will help add to the overarching story of the Echoes update.

Outlaw Capital Ships

While exploring deep space, players can now encounter deadly Pirate Dreadnoughts. These colossal ships can be found in any system where they cruise and look for merchants to harass and extort. By confronting them, players can save civilians and walk away with some incredible rewards.

The best way to take out Pirate Dreadnoughts is to fly in close and perform a Trench Run. Think of it as the run Luke Skywalker performs in Star Wars: A New Hope when he destroys the Death Star. It looks like one of the most exhilarating experiences players can have in No Man’s Sky Echoes. It’s also possible to take out the Dreadnought’s warp engines to prevent it from fleeing.

After defeating a Pirate Dreadnought, players can recruit any survivors and add them to their fleet. These are a great addition for combat-focused missions, completely changing the dynamic of a fleet and how players approach each play session.

By destroying these Dreadnoughts, players can unlock new, powerful ship technology such as Heat Cannons that will tear through Frigate shielding and make short work of pretty much anything that stands in the player’s way in space.

Multi-Tool Salvaging

The Space Anomaly now has a Multi-Tool Decommissioning Terminal for players to visit. This is where Multi-Tools can be dismantled for sweet rewards, helping players refine their collection to top-tier tools only. It also opens up a new career path as a Multi-Tool salvaged for any players looking to spice up their playthrough.

New Story

A new story has come to No Man’s Sky in the Echoes update that explores the Autophage race. Priest Entity Nada will set players on a quest that will take them multiple hours to complete, unlocking a tonne of lore for the ever-expanding in-game universe.

Holographic Museum

The Echoes update adds a new Wonder Project for players to construct. By building a Holographic Museum, players can show off their discoveries for all to see, making their home even more personal.

PSVR 2 Foveated Rendering

An advanced rendering technique has now been implemented in the PSVR 2 version of No Man’s Sky, allowing eye-tracking to boost the resolution in the center of the player’s view. This is really interesting because the center point is determined by where the player is looking, not the middle of the screen.

Deeper Starship Combat

Ship combat has been given a new layer of depth so that players can feel like they’re living in a true sci-fi simulation. Power can be diverted from engines, shields, weapons, or whatever system players don’t want to prioritize to help another system perform better. This makes combat so much more intense, regardless of whether the objective is to annihilate or flee.

Atlantid Multi-Tool

By probing ancient Monoliths, players can get themselves one of the hundreds of types of Atlantid Multi-Tools. These weapons are infused with runes and nanites and look like nothing else seen before in No Man’s Sky. They’re almost certainly linked to the Autophage.

No Man’s Sky Expedition 11: Voyagers

No Man’s Sky Echoes paves the way for Expedition 11: Voyagers. When it goes live, this Expedition will task players with exploring the universe and cataloging the wonders they find. Unique exotic rewards are on offer for discoveries of all caliber, from the tallest trees and mountains to the grossest deep-sea creatures.

Robotic Customization Options

Players can now collect robotic customization parts for their characters by completing various objectives. These work like any other customization parts but are much more freely available than the previous robotic parts, which were exclusive to Expedition 10.

Voltaic Staff

A new class of two-handed Multi-Tool, the Voltaic Staff is a rite of passage for many Autophage, and players can unlock their own by getting to know this race and integrating with them during their time in No Man’s Sky.

Players are able to craft their Voltaic Staff from multiple parts. It’s a new level of customization in No Man’s Sky that lets players express themselves even more through their tool or weapon of choice. It also likely plays a big part in enabling robotic cosplay.

Outlaw Reputation

Players can impress the Outlaw Faction and earn a reputation with them by participating in Outlaw activities such as smuggling, looting, and raiding. New Milestones and Medals are available to earn with this group, giving players who want to live life as a pirate a reason to keep going.

Capes and Visual Improvements in No Man’s Sky on Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch version of No Man’s Sky now has wearable capes. To get one, players need to adopt a Vy’keen appearance. These have been in every other version for a while, and now they’re in-game across all platforms.

Nintendo Switch players will also benefit from a visual upgrade in the Echoes update. The game looks smoother and runs slightly better because of it. This brings the title pretty close to looking as good as the PS4 version, if not better in certain regards.

Dazzling Jetpack Trails

New Jetpack Trails are available to purchase from the Quicksilver Synthesis Bot. These are all pretty flashy, including a festive trail with confetti and even a pyrotechnic one.

Autophage Assignments

To elevate a player’s status with the Autophage, they’ll need to complete Assignments for them. These procedurally generated missions unlock unique rewards, each tailored to the planet they’re on. It should be a nice way to make the universe feel more lived in and give players more activities to choose from.

Rebuilt Exosuit Modules

Players can use New Rebuilt Exosuit Modules to add unpredictable but potent modules to their Exosuits. These have been created by the Autophage and can be purchased from Autophage Synthesis Terminals using Void Motes.

New Twitch Drops

New Twitch Drops are available for streamers to opt into and viewers to earn while they enjoy No Man’s Sky content online. The rewards on offer include starships, companions, posters, and so much more.

Personal Refiner V2

All No Man’s Sky players spend a good chunk of their time with Refiners and looking up recipes. Now, Hello Games has added the Personal Refiner V2, which can be built into the player’s Exosuit. It’s an upgrade on the previous iteration that adds dual refining input, making it possible to Refine most materials. It’s available to pick up from the Space Anomaly now.