“I promise that I will hawk that bug and fix it”: Sorry Todd Howard But No Man’s Sky Dev Promising to Fix a 611 Hour Save is Why Starfield is Inferior

No Man’s Sky and Starfield may seem to target a similar audience with their space-faring adventures. But if time has told us anything about these two titles, one of them is clearly superior. No Man’s Sky developer Martin Griffiths recently took to social media to assure a player that a bug affecting their 611-hour save would be resolved.

The comeback that No Man’s Sky has made showcases an approach to development that Starfield, with its struggles and less polished updates, could learn from. The contrasting trajectories of these two games reveal much about developer priorities and player satisfaction.

No Man’s Sky Has Been The Best Comeback In Gaming

Hello Games’ Martin Griffiths took on the challenge of resolving a graphical glitch reported by a player with over 600 hours invested in No Man’s Sky. Griffiths not only verified the bug but also quickly fixed it. He reassured the player of the team’s dedication to preserving long-term player investment.

One of the most humbling things about being an engine and platform engineer on #NoMansSky is receiving a save-game demonstrating a bug submitted to Zen-desk (verified through QA as reproducible) with instructions on how it occurs, and then helping fix it:

Although every bug is…

— Martin Griffiths (@Griff_) October 25, 2024

The issue, as Griffiths described, involved a rare engine bug affecting large bases, and his resolve to “hawk that bug and fix it” demonstrated Hello Games’ proactive approach to addressing even niche problems. This hands-on response has created a bond of trust with players.

In contrast, Bethesda’s handling of community feedback for Starfield has highlighted a different philosophy in game development. Bethesda recently released the Shattered Space DLC, which, despite some praise, has largely received mixed reviews.

What an absolutely interesting read both from your point of view and the players point of view! As former product manager outside of gaming we just didn’t have this level of complexity, reproducible issues based off of hundreds of hours of user playtime!

— KesselRunner (@KesselRunner) October 27, 2024

The DLC failed to address Starfield’s core complaints, such as the disjointed, procedural quest design and lack of a truly immersive open-world feel, leaving players unsatisfied. Many players anticipated that Shattered Space would deliver meaningful changes.

Other Games Need To Take Page Off of No Man’s Sky’s Book

No Man’s Sky is a blueprint for how to regain community trust after a difficult launch. Hello Games has spent years refining the game, adding major features like base-building, multiplayer, and VR support.

We always see the love and attention going into each major content update, but the care y'all put into these smaller parts of an update doesn't get much traction, so it's awesome to hear about the process! Live and appreciate all the effort you and the team put into the game!

— ThatBomberBoi (@bomber_that) October 26, 2024

Hello Games has cultivated a reputation for transparency and responsiveness that is often rare in the gaming industry. With every update, Hello Games acknowledges community feedback and uses it as a guiding force for change so that the game constantly helps its players.

In comparison to this, players have highlighted that even after updates, Starfield lacks the depth and replayability that older Bethesda titles achieved. Fans have already expressed that the DLC feels like more of the same than a genuine response to player concerns.

The feedback-driven approach at Hello Games also strengthens the community’s bond with the game. The steps that developers like Griffiths take to resolve player issues foster a sense of trust and reciprocity.

What do you think of the comeback that Hello Games and No Man’s Sky have made? Let us know in the comments!

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