Science

Elon Musk Is Headed Toward 'No Man's Sky'

This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

by Justin Andress
cnbc.com

It’s launch day for Hello Games’ procedurally generated exploration title No Man’s Sky, and the most anticipated game of the year is already a smash. In just a few hours, it’s gone from an industry darling to a legitimate social phenomenon. You know you’re doing something right when the real-life Tony Stark, Elon Musk, is blowing up your Twitter feed with odd philosophical questions.

“Will try out @NoMansSky this weekend. Maybe reality is just a series of nested simulations all the way down …,” Musk posted on his Twitter account Wednesday afternoon.

In addition to revolutionizing the way we drive with Tesla and changing the business of space with SpaceX, Musk has something of a reputation for sounding off on pop culture events, like the release of No Man’s Sky.

Just like the rest of us, he has opinions and he likes to share them (and just like the rest of us, he thought Suicide Squad was crappy, too).

The appeal of No Man’s Sky to an inventor and capitalist like Elon Musk is pretty obvious. Hello Games’ exploration title makes use of an exceptionally complex algorithm that procedurally generates a nearly infinite assortment of alien planets teeming with life. It’s the perfect diversion for someone who spends his work week charting new frontiers in human advancement.

Musk is also famously open to the possibility that this is all just a simulation inside a simulation:

This isn’t the first time that Musk has shown an interest in both No Man’s Sky and the game’s creator, Sean Murray. In a recent interview, Murray explained that he and Musk had met a few times. Musk invited him to SpaceX to look around and has even asked Murray’s advice on a gaming laptop.

Most likely, Musk just wants to be prepared when it’s time to journey to the center of No Man’s Sky’s expansive universe. He’ll absolutely have a little extra cash to spend on RAM, too, because Sean Murray knows how to take care of his friends.