What is the meaning/purpose/reason for playing NMS?

[periurban]

Is it to survive and thrive, as another thread suggests? Or to explore, as I would suggest? Or to play the story through?

Personally, I think the game is designed around the primary goal of exploring, and seeing all the cool planets, animals, aliens, bases, ships etc. If I have adventures along the way then that’s a bonus.

I’m sure we have all had such adventures, but we probably pass them by without comment, but for me these things are the game.

What does the game mean to you?

[Diemex]

Multiple goals.

Finish all the story quests, get the (subjective) best ship(s), build a base, travel to another galaxy, etc etc etc. And all along the way... explore and find new combinations of discoveries fueled by the procedural generator.

[Dirak2012]

As with any sand box game... do what is fun for you. I played Skyrim for 800 hour and never bothered to finish the main quest.

[Horizonist]

It's an open world sandbox. Do whatever you want. There is a storyline but you don't have to follow it.