Light No Fire has been publicly known since its reveal at The Game Awards in 2023, but Hello Games has shown very little of the project since that first trailer. Sean Murray now says the long silence was not the studio’s original plan.
The game is the next major project from the team behind No Man’s Sky, exchanging that game’s galaxy-spanning science-fiction setting for a fantasy role-playing adventure built around a huge simulated planet. That ambition has generated strong interest, even without a steady stream of new footage.
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Hello Games originally planned an earlier update
During an interview held as part of the studio’s 10th-anniversary celebration for No Man’s Sky, Murray explained that he initially expected the 2023 reveal to be followed by a more substantial presentation.
“I thought we would have chatted about it more by now,” Murray said, recalling his plan to tease the project first and then explain what players would actually do in the game.
That deeper look was intended for roughly six months after the reveal, around Summer Game Fest 2024. Instead, Light No Fire has not appeared at any of Geoff Keighley’s showcases since its initial announcement.
Strong wishlist numbers changed the strategy
Murray said the project quickly climbed the Steam wishlist rankings, reaching number two. With that level of interest already established, he questioned the need for additional marketing and decided that Hello Games did not have to show more immediately.
The decision also reflects a very different approach from the launch campaign for No Man’s Sky. At the time, the PlayStation 4 exclusive received extensive publicity, including Murray’s appearances on late-night television. The game’s release then faced intense criticism because players felt the launch version did not match expectations, with missing features and concerns about empty planets forming part of the backlash.
A quieter approach after No Man’s Sky
Murray now looks back on that promotional period as “madness” and says he cringes at it. Over the following decade, No Man’s Sky developed into one of gaming’s best-known post-launch recovery stories through continuing updates and improvements.
That history means Hello Games no longer needs a constant media campaign to create excitement. Murray said even a single emoji posted on social media can prompt widespread speculation, giving the studio more freedom to keep development private.
Light No Fire remains ambitious and unannounced
Murray reportedly plays Light No Fire on most days, while technology created for the new project is regularly referenced in No Man’s Sky feature updates. He did not provide a release window or confirm whether he has a personal target date in mind.
Hello Games, which has around 50 employees, has been ready to show more of the game for some time. Murray nevertheless appears content to continue working behind the scenes rather than commit to another presentation before the team is ready.
“I don’t think people realize just how ambitious it is and how crazy it is,” Murray said, adding that he looks forward to showing players what the team has built.
For now, the studio’s limited communication leaves the project’s release timing unknown. Fans waiting for a closer look will have to rely on Hello Games’ eventual decision to bring Light No Fire back into the spotlight.
If the project’s large-scale worlds have you thinking about your own gaming setup, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide can help you compare options, from full arcade cabinets to space-saving bartop arcades.
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