No Man's Sky's adds Pokémon-inspired battles in major game update

The free Xeno Arena patch adds monster battles to No Man's Sky.

Players can raise, breed, level, and genetically modify discovered creatures.

Monsters have elemental affinities and rarities, including legendary variants; harsher biomes yield rarer creatures.

Battles take place at space stations and players can challenge friends or NPCs.

The update also adds daily challenges and tournament hosting; Sean Murray highlighted finding a rare robotic creature and the game's vast creature variety.