It's been a while since Subnautica 2 first pinged the radar back in 2022, but we know there's a return voyage from developer Unknown Worlds in the works, and it's out sometime this year. We've seen a slow and steady trickle of details on the next dive—teasers from showcases, Discord updates, and even screenshots hidden within time capsules in the original Subnautica.
I played dozens of hours of Subnautica and loved building my undersea base, so I've been anxiously scanning for more on the next journey. But just like adventuring in Subnautica 2, I won't have to explore alone. I've been scavenging the ocean floor for anything and everything on the survival-crafting sequel, whether it be a shrimpy tidbit or a Leviathian-sized lore drop.
Is there a Subnautica 2 early access release date?
Subnautica 2 early access begins sometime in 2025, but there's no specific release date yet. Whenever we do make the dive, the sequel's early access period will be available on Steam, Epic Games, and the Windows Store.
As for the game's 1.0 launch, Unknown Worlds estimates that Subnautica 2 will be in early access for two or three years. That puts the complete build sometime in 2027 at the earliest. It's quite the wait, but we know Subnautica 2's price will increase at launch, so anyone exploring in early access as the game grows gets a discount.
Subnautica 2 trailers and footage
The first Subnautica 2 teaser stirred up more hype for its big ol crabs, but the 2024 Xbox presentation didn't reveal any gameplay footage. This developer vlog dives a little deeper, offering a look at building in the new alien ocean and outlining the exploration game's early access plans.
Subnautica 2 gameplay and features
Is Subnautica 2 multiplayer?
Yes, Subnautica 2 has a multiplayer mode in the works, so those of us too terrified to gaze into the deep sea abyss alone can coordinate in groups of four. Co-op was one of those things everyone wanted in the first game, but only ever existed as a Subnautica mod.
There's a whole PC Gamer write-up recalling encounters with Leviathans in Subnautica as part of our Great Moments in PC Gaming series, and I can't tell you if my giddy terror emphatically agrees or disagrees. But what I can say is, it wouldn't have taken me days to conquer the beginning of Subnautica had I brought a friend to hide behind.
What else do we know about the Subnautica 2 early access?
There's not much out there about Subnautica 2, but we've gotten a few vague teases around what to expect in the sequel. Unknown Worlds confirmed it's off to greener pastures bluer oceans on a new alien world, and from how it sounds, there's no planet safe from a disastrously wrong AI:
"You are a pioneer traveling to a distant world, but something is amiss. The ship's AI insists you carry on the mission. This world is too dangerous for humans to survive… Unless you change what it means to be human. What creatures, intelligent or otherwise, await your arrival?"
With regards to the rest of that list, we know about a few more features Unknown Worlds has planned for the Subnautica 2 early access:
- Both co-op and singleplayer adventures
- An "overhauled" building system
- Additional vehicles and craftables
- More Leviathans, with one briefly teased in Subnautica 2's roadmap
- New creatures and biomes
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