Hello Games has released full details and a new trailer for the Atlas Rises update, which appears to be being prepped for release today.

Loading

"30 hours" of new story content, including the appearance of a new interdimensional alien race

Limited online co-op called "Joint Exploration" (more on that below)

Improved galactic mapping and better waypointing

Variety and visual quality of planets improved, with new rare planet types

Crashed freighters, buried resources and scavenging missions

New mission board introduces constant extra missions and NPC guilds

Full galactic trading system

More in-depth scanning with updated Analysis Visor

Overall improved visual quality, with higher resolution textures

Terrain manipulation tool allows you to mould planets as well as destroy them

Space combat improvements, more ship types and low planetary flight now allowed

Quality of life improvements such as ship summonuing and better inventory management

Ancient portals actually do something now

Loading

After being teased earlier this week , a huge changelist and a new trailer have now been released:You can find full details of the update on the No Man's Sky website , but here's an abridged list of the major hits:Co-op is probably one of the smaller additions on this list, but it may prove the most controversial. It was never made entirely clear whether multiplayer interactions were possible before the game's release, and it was eventually discovered that they weren't Hello Games is careful to say that "interaction with others is currently very limited" in Joint Exploration's, allowing up to 16 players to see each other as "strange floating orbs" and use proximity voice chat. We may eventually get more, however, as the notes say that "this is an important first step into the world of synchronous co-op in No Man’s Sky At the time of writing, the update is not yet available, but it is expected to see release today.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's UK News Editor, and he might actually revisit the planet with the horrible flying caterpillars he abandoned a year ago. Follow him on Twitter.