The Korvax In No Man's Sky, Explained (2024)

Androgenous droids that are one of just a few sentient species in the universe of No Man's Sky, the Corvax are a strange lot. This mysterious mechanoid race is technologically advanced and highly intelligent, often conducting experiments on travelers throughout the galaxy.

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They're known for venerating the Atlas devices and seeking pure knowledge; outside of that, this species has a lot more going on emotionally beneath their cold metallic exterior. There's also some interesting history and a unique belief system with dark connotations for other space-faring races. To fill you in on the facts about these bionic buddies, here's everything you need to know about the Korvax.

Who Are The Korvax?

The Korvax are a seemingly robotic race, the species itself existing as raw data that can be transferred between these shells at will. Travelers will often encounter a Korvax that will present as one entity at first and then as another much later on. It can be confusing at first, but once you see the bigger picture, it all makes sense.

They are often found on Space Stations at science desks or in researcher positions in colonies on planets. Think of them as a friendly version of the Borg, minus the colonizing metaphor and body horror. They’ll buy Korvax Casings and any other tech related to their species at a high price, and they’re generally a peaceful and docile group.

They also like running experiments using Monoliths on travelers, rewarding or punishing those that take part depending on their answers to specific questions and events. Such as not reacting when nanites climb all over you and so on. It’s all in a quest to gain more knowledge, and you have to admire them for it.

Korvax Biology

The Korvax as a species are neither fully mechanical nor organic but an advanced mixture of the two that blends both man and machine into a form with an indeterminate lifespan. A closer look at some of their character models shows an exposed spinal column, but aside from that, what they really look like under the suit is left up to your own imagination.

Though the Korvax may seem nearly identical, variations within the species denote their rank and status within the wider collective. For example, the most notable variation is the helmets. Each one is different, and as a rule of thumb, the fancier the hat, the higher the rank.

Fading

A unique, if rather grim, fact about the Korvax is how the race handles death. Like the rest of the sentient species in the universe of No Man's Sky, they are mortal. When a Korvax reaches "their time," they go through a process known as Fading. An event that is both sorrowful and beautiful in its cyclical nature.

When a Korvax begins to fade, they'll exhibit numerous signs of instability. From unpredictability to problems with processing speech, it's a slow slope into a decline that can often be hard to watch. As they eventually let go, their consciousness is released into Korvax Echoes as it joins a nearby nexus, and its knowledge is added to the collective.

Think of a massive hard drive, but it’s their version of an afterlife. Once the transfer finishes, the display on the helmet fritzes, and a new Korvax entity immediately appears within the shell as this now revived form continues as normal with a completely new personality. It's like a Time Lord regeneration, but with none of the flash.

Damaged Korvax Bodies

If a Korvax's body or "shell" becomes too damaged, a new entity will usually not appear until the casing has been recycled and turned into a new, fully functional Korvax shell. If no others of their species are around to perform this ceremonial repair job, a badly damaged Korvax will just expire with all the data containing their personality, experience, and memories residing within the creature until it's recovered, if at all.

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Korvax History

The Korvax originate from Korvax Prime, a planet found on the borders of the Galactic Edge. It’s rich in ores and resources, so they were able to get quite the head start on building up their civilization. That is, until it was destroyed in a horrible genocidal war with the Gek First Spawn.

During the galactic war between the Sentinels and the battle-hungry Vy’Keen, the Korvax essentially sat things out and watched from afar, as did the Gek. When the two sides eventually drained each other of manpower and resources, the First Spawn took the initiative and attacked the Korvax since there was now no one to stop them.

The Korvax, a mainly peaceful race, was almost driven to extinction. Korvax Prime was stripped of its resources, its Central Node containing all of the memories of the Korvax was annihilated, its precious data was lost to the void, and the planet itself was eventually broken into gigantic chunks of floating asteroids and debris. Even this rubble was ground down, leaving absolutely nothing of the planet behind.

The Great Disconnection

Countless Korvax, both living and stored within the Node, were killed, their experiences and memories unable to be stored and lost to history. This decimation of millions was known as the Great Disconnection, and it was felt by all Korvax in the form of great emotional and physical agony. The survivors of the species were enslaved by the Gek, with more dying in the months to come under the whips of their new masters.

Worst of all, any Korvax in enslavement that “Faded” had their parts stripped and melted down into something more useful. The continued loss of entities on such a massive genocidal scale was too much for the race to bear; over time, they began to plot. Their revenge would be a slow burn, but it would be worth the wait.

The Uprising

Years would pass, and the Gek First Spawn Empire would grow in size, dominating the entire galaxy in an iron grip of cruelty and planet-razing industry. Worlds burned, and years of progress were lost to the ages by these diminutive-sized dictators. But it was not to last.

In the dark places of the universe, the Korvax began meeting in secret and in very large numbers. Together they hatched a plan; They couldn’t fight the Gek; they would only spawn more of themselves en masse. The rot had to be dealt with at the root.

For The Greater Good

Thousands of Korvax set off into space in secret, meeting in the thousands near the spawning pools of the Gek. Most notably, the biggest group was at the Gek homeworld of Balaron.

As one, the Korvax across the universe sacrificed themselves, spilling their lifeblood infused with nanite clusters into the numerous pools around the planet and smaller off-world colonies. The goal was to alter the Gek on a genetic level.

The Aftermath

After this great sacrifice, there didn't seem to be any immediate change, so the First Spawn merely cleaned up the mess and melted down all the free scrap that had just turned up on their doorstep. But the seeds had been planted, and the following generations of Gek over the subsequent years would be the first to experience the results of their efforts.

They experienced a rewriting of the Gek genealogy and psychology that moved them away from Empirical gains towards mercantile efforts and devotion to the Atlas. But it wasn't a particularly smooth transition. It started small at first, groups of Gek were converted to the cause, and cults sprung up and infiltrated high-ranking seats of office.

An Uncivil War

Suddenly war factories around the Empire shut down, production for war was stymied, and protests and riots quickly turned into an all-out Civil War. Once again, the galaxy burned, but this time it was just the Gek that suffered—almost destroying themselves in a self-inflicted genocide until the "Altered Gek" emerged triumphant.

The unaltered members of the First Spawn that survived the conflict went into exile or were utterly annihilated by Sentinels, hostile fauna, or from infighting.

The galaxy would settle down eventually as peace flourished under the now gentler Gek as the Korvax came out of the shadows as a free race again. Their first act was to dredge the remaining First Spawn's spawning pools and ensure that none survived.

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Korvax Belief System

This species of droid has a suitably mechanical god in that they worship the hyper-advanced Atlas. Its ability to contain a seemingly infinite amount of knowledge is something they hold with great reverence.

They were first introduced to the Atlas when the Korvax were still taking their first tentative steps; robots known as Aeorns emerged from the far reaches of space. They came bearing a message that death (disconnection) should never be forced onto another.

So through continued mentorship from these visitors, they became a species opposed to violence. Instead, they craved more knowledge in an effort to become just like the Atlas.

Korvax And The Sentinels

Unlike other races, the Korvax also praise the Sentinels. To them, these clanking behemoths, a regular bane to other Travelers, are considered protectors. Their efforts are seen by the Korvax as that of guardians to undeveloped worlds that are not to be compromised by other species. An odd choice, but it makes sense.

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