Courtesy of the Xeno Arena update for No Man's Sky, players are now able to pit hologram versions of their companions against those of other players and NPCs in Holo-Arena battles. Inspired by Pokemon, Palworld, and Holochess from Star Wars​​, players can catch, train, and genetically modify their creatures, or even breed them, to create a team to dominate in the Holo-Arena. This guide will explain how Holo battles work, where arenas can be found, and how players can get better.

Where Are Holo-Arenas Found In No Man's Sky?

Holo-Arenas are small tables, where tiny, hologram versions of creatures fight it out. They can be found in many places around the universe, including:

• The Space Anomaly
• Space Stations
• Settlements
• Trade Outposts

There will always be an NPC at these tables for players to challenge, or they can engage in multiplayer battles. Iteration Oceanus at the Anomaly will change his team every day, offering players a unique daily battle, which is the same for all players.

Eventually, players may be able to build their own Holo-Arena tables, but this is not a feature as of the Xeno Arena update.

How Do Holo-Arena Battles Work In No Man's Sky?

Holo-Arena battles in No Man's Sky are turn-based, and each player will select a team of up to three creatures, but only one will fight at a time. Players can select the order of their creatures and swap them between turns.

If a creature dies in combat, the next will step up, and the aim of the game is to wipe out all your opponent's creatures. Don't worry, though, these pets aren't harmed as battles are holographic. They will be returned to full health at the start of the next match, no matter what.

Every turn, each player will choose one of their creature's five abilities to play, and then their opponent will make a move.

Creature Affinities

Each creature has its own affinity, depending on its home planet's biome, and these counter one another. For example, a fire creature will deal more damage to frozen creatures, but struggle against radioactive attacks.

Therefore, swapping creatures around is an effective tactic to find the right matchups. It also means that players will want a diverse team.

The 8 creature affinities in No Man's Sky are:

• Frost
• Fire
• Tropical
• Radioactive
• Toxic
• Mechanical
• Anomalous
• Desert

As NPCs will form teams from their own planet's biome, it's possible to build a team to counter them.

Creature Abilities

Creatures also have their own abilities, some of which will align with their affinity. Only one ability can be used each turn, but some have effects that are applied in the following turns. These effects are shown under a creature's health bar.

Some abilities deal damage, others heal, and a few apply buffs or debuffs to your own creature or the opponent's. Powerful abilities often have cooldowns, and most hostile abilities also have a chance to miss, depending on the target's Agility rating.

Make sure you check any effects under your companion's health bar, as some deal tonnes of damage after a certain number of turns, for example.

Creature Stats

Speaking of Agility, every creature has three main stats. Their Combat Effectiveness, Agility, and Health. These will have ratings, such as C, A, or S, similar to ships in No Man's Sky.

The creature with the highest Agility goes first in combat.

These stats can be improved by taking part in more Holo battles and by gene editing via Retroviral Pellets.

Rewards For Winning Holo-Arena Games In No Man's Sky

While Holo-Arena games can be incredibly fun, they can also be rewarding, and happen to be the newest way to earn Nanites in No Man's Sky. This is useful as it costs Nanites to expand the Companion Register, allowing players to tame more creatures.

As well as Nanites, players will occasionally earn Retroviral Pellets from their victories, which alter the genes of their creatures, improving them. Creatures will also gain experience from combat, resulting in helpful mutations.

Beating champions will also reward players with new invitations to challenge other champions, helping them climb the galactic rankings.