People saw promise and potential in Spore, but EA decided it wasn't in their best interest to make any extensions to core gameplay after the game's release. There were reportedly plans for true underwater exploration and new sets of parts, but none of those things ever came to be. Spore's modeling was fantastic, though, and allowed making unique creatures and vehicles more easily than any other editing program.

"If only," is all anyone ever says about Spore anymore. So if No Man's sky is the product, I don't care. If it's the beginning of some greater thing, however, I'm interested.