Hello Games _is_ using NMS to troubleshoot mechanics for their next game, with the Corvettes being a testbed for multicrew sailing ships. IIRC, basically all they've been doing in the game for the past few years has been expressly for the purpose of testing systems, mechanics, and so on intended to make their next work function.
... but they still get massive kudos for making all of these updates free.
Quoth the fandom: ' Please, Sean, no, I have money!'
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The non-believers climbed for days to confront the master in the mountains. "Where do you get your so-called faith?" they asked.
"You brought it," the master replied. "You've all climbed so high." - The Book of Cataclysm