No Man's Sky runs at native 4K resolution on Xbox One X, allows 1440p 60 FPS

By Asher Madan
last updated

Plenty of benefits for Xbox One X owners.

Today, Hello Games and 505 Games launched No Man's Sky on Xbox One for $49.99. Many months ago, the developer confirmed that the title would support Xbox One X, but didn't provide any details as to what that would entail. Would the game achieve native 4K resolution? Would there be a performance mode? Many of these questions were left unanswered. The only clue we had was the Xbox Store listing which stated that No Man's Sky ran at "4K Ultra HD" on Microsoft's new machine.

Alongside the patch notes for the "Next" multiplayer update, the studio revealed the resolution and performance options for No Man's Sky on Xbox One X. According to the post, the game features a "High Performance" mode which runs at 1440p 60 FPS, and a "High Quality" option which achieves native 4K resolution (2160p) on the console. In comparison, the maximum resolution the PlayStation 4 Pro version outputs is 1800p. If you disable the "Supersampling" mode on PlayStation 4 Pro, you're given a 1080p 60 FPS presentation. As expected, the frame rate isn't locked and fluctuates depending on the environment.

It's great to see that Hello Games decided to give Xbox One X owners the choice to either focus on visuals or performance. We've been playing on High Performance mode and it runs smoothly. There are some slowdowns here and there, but overall it's a great experience. As expected, the High Quality mode greatly improves the visual quality and No Man's Sky looks crisp on a 4K display. It's by far the best picture you can get on a console because there's no upscaling from 1800p involved.

For those unfamiliar with the game, No Man's Sky is a science fiction adventure set across an infinite universe, in which every star is the light of a distant sun, each orbited by planets filled with life, and you can go to any of them you choose. In this procedurally-generated universe, you'll discover places and creatures that no other player has seen before. However, a mystery lies at the center of the galaxy, an irresistible pulse that draws you on a voyage to discover the true nature of the universe.

Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!

Asher Madan
Asher Madan

Asher Madan handles gaming news for Windows Central. Before joining Windows Central in 2017, Asher worked for a number of different gaming outlets. He has a background in medical science and is passionate about all forms of entertainment, cooking, and antiquing.

12 Comments
  • Will it have cross-platform multiplayer between Xbox and ps... Oh, right... Sony... Heh... Haha.... Hahah.... HAHAHAHAHAHAAA.
  • Stopped playing on playstation back then now enjoying on Xbox with full graphics. Game has become that what it should have been from day 1.
  • The game looks awesome.. I'm impressed so far anyway..
  • It's too pricey for a two year old indie game, the are almost charging AAA prices. I realise they have improved it and all but still too expensive.
  • For the amount of game that is there with no microtransaction rubbish clogging up the experience, I'm happy to pay the price. So many full price AAA, AA and even indie games trying to nickel and dime you just gets tiring.
  • The game cost $59.99 on PlayStation 4 when it launched.
  • And you can buy the exact same game now on PS4 for a lot less than $59.99.
  • The discount is offered by retailers. Unfortunately this is how the industry is.
  • I'll give this a go I think
  • I'm excited for it. I was disappointed when it first came out as a PC/PS4 only game because sci-fi is my thing, especially space opera sci-fi. Sounds like it was worth the wait though and I'm eager to try it on my X1X on our 65inch 4k.
  • Another great reason to own the One X
  • Asher Madan: "We don't cover PlayStation or Nintendo."
    But of course. You don't. LOL Anyway, well done Hello games for the great work. It's not for everyone, so please do your research before buying.
    XB1-only gamers hope you buy and enjoy the game.