No Man's Sky didn't mislead consumers, rules the ASA
Expectations, meet reality
The Hello Games team will be breathing a sigh of relief today, after the UK's Advertising Standards Authority ruled that the No Man's Sky Steam page hasn't misled consumers as to the actual content in the game.
A substantial number of gamers were less than impressed with No Man's Sky when it launched, claiming that the preview clips of roaming aliens, lush landscapes, large-scale combat and advanced spacecraft maneuvers didn't match up with the rather humdrum reality of the title.
Specifically, ASA was asked to investigate the screenshots on the No Man's Sky Steam page, after 23 complaints were filed. A lot of these assets were used to promote the game in the run up to its official launch.
All part of the game
In a detailed defence, Hello Games emphasized the procedural generation at the heart of No Man's Sky, pointing out that planets weren't individually hand-made. Ultimately, every player gets a difference experience inside the game.
While the ASA noted some "cosmetic changes" between the pre-launch screenshots and the actual game, Hello Games was able to produce in-game footage that was close enough for the regulatory body to be satisfied. In short, the ASA found that gamers hadn't been duped as to what No Man's Sky involved.
Earlier in the week Hello Games released a significant update for No Man's Sky, adding base building and extra game modes to the mix - we'll have to wait and see whether it's enough to bring space explorers flocking back.
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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.