No Man's Sky: How to smuggle cargo in the space exploration game

Over the years, Hello Games' No Man's Sky has made an amazing turn-around with its plethora of free updates.

One of these updates was the space pirate-themed Outlaws, released a few months ago. Among the myriad of additions and tweaks, the update introduced smuggling as an activity in the game.

How does one partake in such a side hustle to obtain extra cash? Are there any repercussions for smuggling?

---

Smuggling in No Man's Sky can be risky but allows players to earn a few extra bucks

In No Man's Sky Outlaws, players will encounter space stations overtaken by pirates. These lawless criminals have set up elaborate black markets for the trade of illegal goods. This is where players will kick off their swashbuckling journey.

To find such a black market in No Man's Sky, players must first uncover abandoned Outlaw Space Stations. This is made easy by equipping the Economy Scanner or the Conflict Scanner to search for nearby stars in the Galaxy Map; either one of those works. After installing the upgrade onto the ship, players will be able to search for such outposts.

How can one tell if a space station is ruled by pirates? In addition to displaying "Pirate Controlled" in the Economy Section of the description of the system, one of the tabs should also show whether or not it is a "Black Market." This is highlighted under "Economy Type" in the subtext.

---

Trade goods from the black market into regulated systems

What will you buy? (Image via Hello Games)

Once discovered, No Man's Sky players can head to these black market pirate stations and engage with the seller to check out their goods. These often include banned and illegal items, so the prices vary. However, once the desired cargo is obtained, players must sell it, and this is where things get trickier.

For one, selling prices depend on demand, which also varies from system to system. While players will definitely turn a profit by selling these illegal goods, they may not necessarily be netting the most profit. Risk-takers aiming to scour space for the highest demand may take some time to find such an outlet.

The second issue arises from occasional Sentinel ship scans in No Man's Sky. In orderly governed systems, players' ships may be scanned by a Sentinel to detect any potential stolen goods. If detected, players have two choices:

1. Comply and turn in the smuggled cargo.
2. Refuse, following which the authorities will open fire and attack the player.

---

How to smuggle goods under the authorities' noses

There are two ways to fool these scans in No Man's Sky.

The first is by using the Cargo Scan Deflector. This module masks the player's illegal items from being flagged by the scan. However, it is not guaranteed to always work, posing some risk the longer a player has the cargo onboard.

The Cargo Scan Deflector can be obtained from a blueprint via Iteration Hyperion, which allows it to be crafted. It requires the following materials: 220 Platinum, two Counterfeit Circuits and two Solar Mirrors.

Another solution is to wipe the Sentinel's memory using the station override. However, this is a super expensive method and not worth it in the long run.

Players who want the station override can obtain it as a mission reward from the Bounty Master found in Outlaw Stations. Players can instantly travel between different Outlaw Stations, allowing them to teleport to various black markets they have discovered. This is handy when going on an illegal shopping spree.

No Man's Sky is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC. A Nintendo Switch version is set to arrive on October 7, 2022.