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Valheim vs. No Man’s Sky: Which Co-Op Survival Game Is Right for You?

By Freedom251 Team · · 3 min read

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Choose Valheim if your group wants a focused Viking survival world built around crafting, base-building and shared progression. Choose No Man’s Sky if you want a sprawling exploration sandbox with space travel, planetary discovery, missions and social activities. Both developers describe their games as supporting crossplay, but the exact platform and edition matter—especially for No Man’s Sky on Nintendo Switch.

How the two games differ

What matters Valheim No Man’s Sky
Core experience Viking-themed survival in a shared world, with crafting, building and survival progression. Exploration and survival across a procedurally generated galaxy, with space travel and planetary discovery.
Co-op focus Survive and progress together in a world your group can build and shape. Explore, take missions, visit bases, meet in a social hub and collaborate on ships and bases.
Crossplay Supported across platforms according to Iron Gate; cross-platform players can join using a code. Supported according to Hello Games, subject to the platform and edition.
Notable edition caveat Iron Gate says cross-platform save syncing is generally unavailable; Xbox saves can be accessed on PC when launched through the Microsoft Store. The original Nintendo Switch edition is single-player. The Nintendo Switch 2 edition adds multiplayer, crossplay and cross-save.

These are different kinds of co-op rather than two versions of the same formula. Valheim centers the group on one survival world; No Man’s Sky gives players a much wider setting and a broader mix of exploration and social activities. Neither is an objective winner for every group.

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Which game fits your group?

Choose Valheim for shared survival and world-building

Valheim is the better fit if your group wants to gather resources, craft, build a base and make progress together in a Viking survival setting. It also works solo. Iron Gate says players can create public or private peer-to-peer sessions, or use a dedicated server. For mixed-platform groups, the studio’s 1.0 FAQ says crossplay is supported between all platforms, and its help page describes joining across platforms with a code.

Choose No Man’s Sky for exploration and varied social play

No Man’s Sky is a better match if your group is drawn to space travel, discovering planets, missions and visiting other players’ bases. Hello Games also describes multiplayer in the Space Anomaly social hub and collaborative play aboard ships and at bases. Its Voyagers update adds multi-crew Corvette-class ships that players can invite friends aboard.

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Player counts depend on the activity and location, so do not treat one figure as a universal party limit. Hello Games lists up to 32 players in the Space Anomaly; its 2019 description gives a range of 8 to 32 players in the wider universe depending on platform and location.

Check platforms and editions before buying

“Crossplay” does not by itself confirm that a particular combination of consoles, computers and editions will work for your group. Compare the exact platforms everyone owns against the developer’s current platform information before purchase. Iron Gate announced Valheim 1.0 for September 9, 2026, with PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 joining PC, Linux, Mac, Xbox One and Xbox Series; its FAQ says crossplay is supported across platforms.

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No Man’s Sky has a crucial Nintendo distinction: Hello Games described the original Switch edition at launch as a single-player experience. The Switch 2 edition adds full multiplayer and crossplay. If a friend’s only copy is on Switch, confirm that it is the Switch 2 edition before counting on co-op.

For Valheim groups that want an always-on dedicated server, note that Iron Gate says an Xbox console cannot host one, although it can join a dedicated server when crossplay is enabled. Iron Gate also says cross-platform save sync is not generally available; the documented exception is Xbox saves accessible on PC through the Microsoft Store version.

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What do they cost?

Publisher reference prices are not live store quotes, and actual prices vary by region, platform and retailer. Iron Gate’s 1.0 FAQ lists Valheim at $29.99, subject to regional variation. Hello Games’ press kit lists No Man’s Sky regular prices of $59.99, €59.99 or £49.99 and notes that prices may vary by platform and country. Check the current regional storefront for the edition you intend to buy. Hello Games confirms a physical Nintendo Switch edition is available through retail partners; verify the console generation and edition on the specific listing.

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

co-op gamescrossplayNintendo Switch 2No Man’s SkySurvival GamesValheim

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