No Man’s Sky’s “Foundation” update is bringing back thousands of players to Steam.
As of Wednesday evening,No Mans Skyhad a peak player count of 6,661.
(Admittedly, Steam numbers dont account forNo Mans Skys entire playerbase.
Many players seem to be willing to give the game a second chance.
Fans have every right to be mad.
Hello Games silence is pretty much unfounded, especially so soon after releasing a game.
Itll certainly be written in the history books that the studio was ill-prepared for any sort of damage control.
Did the studio severely underestimate internet outrage culture?)
Interest always wanes in the months following a big game release.
Especially in the case of a failed one.
And you still have to pay for it.)
It might be too late forNo Mans Sky, no matter what happens.
After all, there isnt much functionally wrong within the unfinished package.
But Hello Games isnt the only party to blame here.
The media didnt help when it came to questioning the message, either.
Headlines suchas this oneonly perpetuated the belief that this game would be the be-all end-all of gaming.
Gamers will be buying blindly, so to speak.)
Actions speak louder than words, as the old cliche goes.
Think back to my earlier example about theAssassins Creedfranchise.
Not the hashtags or the meme of a womans disfigured face.
It was YOUR pocket.
The same can be said about buying back into a game that misled you just a few months ago.
The last few days have certainly sent the wrong message.
The fact that people are returning toNo Mans Skyafter everything thats happened can be interpreted as forgiveness.
Yet the games potential redemption story could mean something worse for the future.
Will other companies exploit the fact that their audience is willing to forgive being lied to?
John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek US.
Find more of his work onhis website.
Or justfollow him on Twitter.
