The feature concentrates rendering resources at the center of a player’s vision to sharpen details while reducing the workload on the GPU.
SteamVR Performance Boost and Hardware Timing
Hidden deep in the patch notes for the Cosmos update, specifically within the rendering section, are two notes detailing the addition of foveated rendering on PCVR, according to source material. Utilizing eye-tracking technology, the system concentrates rendering resources at the center of a player’s vision to sharpen and beautify targeted details. In August 2023, Hello Games previously integrated this exact capability into the PlayStation VR2 edition to combat user complaints regarding fuzziness.
Industry observers noted the curious timing of the update given that PC VR has supported headsets with eye-tracking for years, such as the Meta Quest Pro, Pimax Crystal Super, and Vive Focus Vision. Based on the August 2026 Steam hardware survey, however, the PlayStation VR2 leads SteamVR among eye-tracking compatible headsets at 2.24% of users, with the Quest Pro following closely at 1.51%. With SteamVR averaging users in a given month, the combined high end of those user bases is just over 110,000 users per month, with only a fraction playing No Man’s Sky. The impending launch of Valve’s highly anticipated Steam Frame is expected to introduce a larger wave of users with eye-tracking supported headsets to the platform.
Did you know?
Foveated rendering works by tracking where the eye is pointed, dropping the resolution everywhere else in the peripheral vision, and returning a meaningful slice of the GPU budget back to the primary focus area.
Hardware Demands and PCVR Comparisons
Running No Man’s Sky smoothly in VR on a PC presents a significant challenge due to procedural generation taxing CPUs alongside the GPU overhead required for high-resolution VR rendering.
A notable distinction exists regarding how headsets handle this rendering path. While Sony’s official adapter for using the PSVR2 on PC strips away native features like eye tracking—meaning the headset relies on fixed foveated rendering without eye tracking—Hello Games’ new PC VR implementation requires active eye tracking. Consequently, players keeping the headset connected to a PlayStation 5 retain native eye tracking, while PC users need compatible hardware to utilize the new dynamic foveated rendering path.
Additional VR Fixes in the Cosmos Update
Beyond the rendering updates, the Cosmos patch addresses several specific VR quality-of-life items and bug fixes. The Corvettes section resolves an issue with recoloring Corvette-class ships in VR, while the quality-of-life updates increase the readability of the Exocraft UI in VR and fix a black screen issue that occurred when global illumination (GTAO) was switched off.
Additionally, the update resolves an issue with the “Switch Base” controller binding on original PlayStation VR Move controllers. Alongside these fixes, the Cosmos update completely overhauls outer space by adding orbital bases, space station ownership, massive salvageable hulks, and deepened spacewalking with true six degrees of freedom movement including roll.
Players experiencing performance hurdles in demanding PC VR environments can check graphics settings and ensure upscalers like DLSS or XeSS are configured correctly to maximize available frame rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does foveated rendering do in No Man’s Sky?
Foveated rendering concentrates rendering resources at the center of a player’s vision using eye-tracking technology, sharpening details in the direct line of sight while reducing the graphics load in the peripheral vision.
Is eye tracking supported when using PSVR2 on PC?
According to Sony’s documentation, features like eye tracking and headset feedback are not available when playing with a PSVR2 on PC through the official adapter, meaning PC VR foveated rendering via this update requires compatible PC-native hardware.
What platforms is No Man’s Sky Cosmos available on?
The free Cosmos update is available now across all supported platforms, including SteamVR and PlayStation VR2.
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