GOG Version of No Man's Sky NEXT Doesn't Include Multiplayer at Launch

Let's talk about No Man's Sky's latest update, dubbed NEXT. Currently, it is sitting at number one on the top sellers' list on Steam (with Monster Hunter: World second, which hasn't even launched yet for PC). It comes with a variety of updates and features, and at this point, it has risen from an absolute bore and chore to a rather enjoyable experience.

Now, one of the most welcome features included in NEXT is multiplayer, and people are having a blast with it - except those who purchased the DRM-free version from GOG.

Pay careful attention if you plan on buying the GOG version, because in the description of No Man's Sky on the game distributor's site, you'll find:
 

"The multiplayer element of NEXT is not yet included in the DRM-free edition of the game."

Eh? What's this?

Well, if you refer to the forum post linked in the description, you'll find the editor's clarification on the fact that multiplayer currently doesn't exist in this version:
 

"From launch, the DRM-free edition of No Man's Sky will include all single-player content introduced by NEXT: third-person mode, upgraded visuals, better base building, player customization, and more.

However the multiplayer component will not be ready at launch; we expect it to be released later this year as full multiplayer parity remains in the pipeline.

For a small, independent studio, developing the feature across multiple platforms is a hugely ambitious and technical challenge which resulted in this delayed release. Hello Games is however joining forces with GOG.COM to introduce full multiplayer via the GOG Galaxy platform.

We appreciate your immense support and patience.

- Hello Games & GOG.COM Team"

In other words, it will happen - just not yet. Multiplayer is not likely to be supported yet due to the DRM-free aspect of the download, which would (likely) require its own system to play online.