Hello Games producer Sean Murray stated that he doesn't mind if No Man's Sky misses out on huge profits by not releasing paid DLC or microtransactions. In an interview with GamesRadar+, he said that despite the potential for high profits, the team has no plans to introduce paid DLC or in-game purchases to No Man's Sky.
According to him, the team's main motivation is creating content that all players can access. "My team and I really enjoy crafting updates knowing that every player will have the same experience. This is possible precisely because each update builds upon the previous one."
The secret to the studio's sustained operation lies in its size. During early development, an average of only six people worked on the game. By launch, the team had grown to 15, and today, the number of employees working on No Man's Sky simultaneously remains between 12 and 20. "We are an ultra-small team, and fortunately, this shields us from the many chaotic trends plaguing the gaming industry."
The studio head considers himself lucky to be able to keep developing the games he wants to play: "Personally, continuing to work on No Man's Sky is a privilege. It's the game I've always wanted to play. I see the passion and effort the team puts in every day."
No Man's Sky was released in 2016. After a disastrous launch, it gradually transformed into one of the most successful "phoenix rising from the ashes" stories in gaming history, with continuous major free updates over the past decade.