A recent update for the game No Man's Sky, titled Remnant, has been released to coincide with the game's 10th anniversary. The update introduces a notable new tool for players: a gravity gun, a mechanic previously popularized by other games. This addition is accompanied by a broader focus on planetary cleanup and resource scavenging, featuring new vehicles and facilities designed to facilitate these activities. The release marks another step in the game's ongoing development, which has seen numerous free updates since its initial launch.

The Remnant update centers around a new gameplay loop of salvaging derelict ships and cleaning up planetary waste. Players can now utilize a gravity gun, officially known as the Gravitino Coil, to pick up and manipulate objects on planet surfaces. This tool can also be used as a defensive measure against potential attackers. Alongside the gravity gun, the update adds a variety of new buildable vehicles, including trucks, flatbeds, and armored tanks, allowing for the transport of salvaged materials. New industrial facilities, specifically Waste Processing Plants, have also been introduced to facilitate the recycling and disposal of collected waste. A limited-time community expedition is planned, encouraging players to form convoys and work together on planet cleanup efforts. This update builds upon previous additions, such as the Breach update that introduced explorable derelict spacecraft.
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New Mechanics and Tools
The Remnant update brings several key new features to No Man's Sky:

Gravity Gun (Gravitino Coil): This new multi-tool attachment allows players to grab, carry, and fling various items, including scrap and even Sentinels. It can also serve as a weapon.
New Vehicles: A range of customizable, buildable vehicles are now available, including multi-legged recon vehicles, flatbed haulers, and armored tanks, designed for hauling bulky resources.
Waste Processing Plants: These new industrial facilities are situated on scrap worlds and offer players a place to process and recycle salvaged materials, earning rewards in the process.
Salvaging and Recycling Loop: The update encourages players to engage in a loop of finding wrecks, collecting scrap, transporting it using new vehicles, and processing it at dedicated plants.
Community Expedition
A limited-time community expedition is part of the Remnant update. This event tasks players with forming convoys to collectively clean up planets covered in scrap and space waste. The objective is to work together to salvage usable materials from the debris.
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The Significance of the Gravity Gun
The inclusion of a gravity gun in No Man's Sky has been met with particular interest. The tool, reminiscent of those found in the Half-Life series, adds a novel way for players to interact with the game world.
Object Manipulation: The Gravitino Coil allows for the direct picking up and flinging of items.
Tactile Gameplay: Developers have highlighted how this creates a "fun and tactile new loop" for players, involving searching for wrecks and hauling cargo.
Dual Purpose: Beyond its utility for collecting resources, the gravity gun can also be employed as an offensive tool.
Evolution of No Man's Sky
The Remnant update is presented as part of No Man's Sky's continued development, particularly in its 10th anniversary year. The game has a history of receiving substantial free updates that have expanded its content and gameplay significantly since its initial launch. This update is seen as another continuation of that trend, adding new systems and mechanics that enhance the player experience.
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The Remnant update follows previous expansions like Breach, which added explorable derelict space wrecks.
The game's consistent release of free content is often cited as a key factor in its ongoing popularity and redemption arc.
Expert Analysis
Several sources point to the Remnant update as a significant addition, especially the inclusion of the gravity gun.
"The Remnant update turns every pile of wreckage and derelict ship into an opportunity for resource acquisition (and gravity-related shenanigans)." - Polygon
"It creates this really fun and tactile new loop of searching for wrecks, loading trucks full of cargo and hauling across the alien landscape to industrial yards to gain new loot and rewards." - IGN
Conclusion
The Remnant update for No Man's Sky introduces a gravity gun and a suite of new mechanics focused on salvaging and planetary cleanup. These additions, along with new vehicles and processing facilities, aim to create a fresh gameplay loop for players. The update's release marks the start of the game's 10th-anniversary celebrations and continues the ongoing trend of substantial free content additions to No Man's Sky. The community expedition offers a cooperative element to these new salvage activities.
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Sources Used:
Polygon: https://www.polygon.com/no-mans-sky-10th-anniversary-gravity-gun-remnant/
IGN: https://www.ign.com/articles/no-mans-skys-remnant-update-is-here-and-were-finally-getting-a-gravity-gun
Eurogamer: https://www.eurogamer.net/no-mans-sky-customisable-trucks-hauling-and-gravity-guns
Push Square: https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/02/no-mans-sky-gets-a-gravity-gun-in-its-latest-game-changing-update-on-ps5-ps4
PC Gamer: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/after-10-years-no-mans-sky-still-hasnt-run-out-of-cool-stuff-to-give-you-so-heres-a-freakin-gravity-gun-too/
Rock Paper Shotgun: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/no-mans-skys-latest-update-is-all-about-rubbish-flinging-spacetrashpeople-with-gravity-guns-and-interstellar-trucks
UploadVR: https://www.uploadvr.com/no-mans-sky-remnant-update-adds-gravity-gun-and-more/
PCGamesN: https://www.pcgamesn.com/no-mans-sky/update-remnant-gravity-gun
No Man's Sky Official Site: https://www.nomanssky.com/remnant-update