However you feel about Hello Games' No Man's Sky, there's no denying that the game has a dedicated fanbase. Multiple subreddits and community forums have sprung up in support, and it was the moderators of these threads who were given the first tease of Hello Games' next plans for the game - in the form of cassette tapes.
User BaRKy1911 explains: "Several mods of several different subs were sent stuff from Hello Games. … In those boxes we got these cassettes, each with their [own] number." The contents of the tapes are a bit of a mystery, as several of the recipients have expressly said they will not share what is on them. Others are reaching out, albeit vaguely:
Calling out to 3/16 and 5/16. I have listened. Have you ? DM me. #NoMansSky #portals @hellogamesJune 6, 2017
The common theme here seems to be portals. These strange structures remain a mystery to NMS players even to this day, as no one has yet been able to activate one. But perhaps these tapes (along with the posters some community members have received) are teasing an update that will activate them?
It's hard to say given the secrecy surrounding the tapes and the fact that not all recipients have come forward yet or seem willing to share what they have - but it's definitely an interesting development for a game that, while seriously flawed at release, has steadily improved and added features post-launch.
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Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.