No Man's Sky lead responds to reports of stolen assets in fellow open-world survival game Once Human, says the "joke's on them" because they're actually unfinished

GamesRadar+
Wed, 03 Dec 2025 10:45:56 +0000

Sean Murray, the founder of Hello Games, responded to reports that the game Once Human may have used assets from No Man's Sky, specifically a cosmetic item resembling the Base Teleport Module. Murray humorously noted that the asset is unfinished, showcasing its unoptimized design. Players have reacted positively to his response, while the developers of Once Human have yet to comment on the situation.

2025-12-03 | IGN: 'Joke's on Them' — No Man's Sky Creator Ridicules 'Extremely Similar' Once Human Premium Cosmetic Item, Says It Was Unfinished Anyway

No Man's Sky fans have accused the game Once Human of using a repurposed cosmetic item, specifically the Base Teleport Module, as a high-tier lootbox reward. Hello Games' Sean Murray responded humorously, noting performance issues with the asset. The controversy highlights concerns over asset reuse, with fans pointing out past instances of similar issues in Once Human. No Man's Sky recently celebrated record player numbers following its latest updates.

2025-12-03 | Insider Gaming: No Man’s Sky Dev Responds to Once Human Reportedly Stealing Assets

Hello Games, the developer of No Man’s Sky, responded to allegations that Once Human used its assets in a premium loot box. The controversy arose over a cosmetic item in Once Human resembling No Man’s Sky’s Teleport Module. Founder Sean Murray humorously remarked, “jokes on them – we forgot to LOD those rivets,” referencing a technical aspect of game development. No Man’s Sky continues to receive updates, while Once Human launched in 2024.

2025-12-03 | PCGamesN: "Joke's on them," says No Man's Sky lead as rival survival game confirms it's replacing an eerily familiar cosmetic

Once Human developer Starry Studio is removing a cosmetic item from the game after accusations of it resembling the Base Teleport Module from No Man's Sky. Hello Games' Sean Murray commented humorously on the situation, noting a design oversight in their own asset. Starry Studio stated they are committed to originality and will review their art policies following community feedback. This is not the first instance of Once Human facing imitation claims.

2025-12-03 | PC Gamer: As NetEase pledges to 'replace' a No Man's Sky model in its survival MMO, Sean Murray says they played themselves because the asset's busted anyway

NetEase has acknowledged accusations that its survival MMO Once Human used an asset resembling a base teleport module from No Man's Sky. Sean Murray, the head of Hello Games, responded humorously, noting that the original asset is flawed. NetEase stated it will replace the asset and strengthen its design policies, emphasizing the importance of original creativity. This follows past concerns about asset similarities with Rainbow Six Siege.

2025-12-03 | GamesRadar+: Devs behind sci-fi survival game Once Human promise to "replace the asset in question" after No Man's Sky comparisons reach Sean Murray

The developers of Once Human, Starry Studio, have acknowledged a resemblance between an exercise bike in their game and an item from No Man's Sky, prompting a comment from Sean Murray. In response to community feedback, they stated they will replace the asset and are reviewing their art and design policies. The recent update, Thunder Overload, also introduced various new skins and items for players to collect.

2025-12-04 | GameSpot: No Man's Sky Boss Reacts To Assets Allegedly Being Re-Used By Once Human

Sean Murray, head of Hello Games, responded to fans noting a similarity between a premium cosmetic item in Once Human and No Man's Sky's base teleport module. He humorously pointed out that both items lack rivets due to an oversight in the model. Meanwhile, No Man's Sky is experiencing a surge in popularity following its Voyagers update, which allows players to create custom Corvette ships, marking its highest player count since launch.