Immerse yourself in a new adventure with Subnautica 2, an open-water survival game from the creators of the Subnautica series. Play alone or with friends as you explore alluring biomes and discover fascinating creatures. Craft vehicles, tools, and bases to survive this mysterious alien world.

Whether playing with friends or alone, players will craft tools, build custom bases, and navigate the depths of this immersive, alien world as they forge their own survival stories.

Subnautica 2 will officially introduce multiplayer co-op, offering a new way to experience the adventure together. Up to four players will be able to explore the ocean’s vast environments together, and collaborate to craft tools, build bases, and face the challenges of a planet teeming with both beauty and danger.

Expanding on what fans loved about the previous games in the series, Subnautica 2 will deepen the experience with new biomes, from towering underwater cliffs to lush coral fields, each filled with unique creatures and hidden mysteries. As players dive deeper, they will uncover the secrets at the heart of the planet.

Earlier this month KRAFTON announced a sudden leadership change at Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds, dismissing the previous leadership team (Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland, and Max McGuire) with former Striking Distance Studios CEO Steve Papoutsis.

While the sudden change seemed sus at the time a report by Bloomberg may not have revealed the real reason, a $250 million bonus pay out (apparently agreed upon when Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds back in 2021) if/when the Subnautica 2 devs met certain milestones by end of 2025.

With the Early Access being delayed to 2026 (even though Subnautica director/designer Charlie Cleveland recently said it was ready), there is little to no chance that will happen.

UPDATE

Hello Subnauts,

As you know, we believe deeply in the open development process at Unknown Worlds. All of our games, from Natural Selection to Subnautica, have been fully committed to that process. The first phase of open development on Subnautica 2 was a series of playtests that recently happened behind the scenes with our community.

We got some great feedback about Subnautica 2 during those playtests. The community was responding well to the environment, creatures, and story, and felt positive about the general direction of the game. It gave us a great indication that we’re swimming in the right direction.

It also provided some insight that there are a few areas where we needed to improve before launching the first version of Subnautica 2 to the world. Our community is at the heart of how we develop, so we want to give ourselves a little extra time to respond to more of that feedback before releasing the game into Early Access.

With that in mind, we’ve made the decision to delay Subnautica 2’s Early Access release to 2026.

We’re extremely thankful for the time the community has put into playing the game so far and answering our questions. We plan to continue running playtests to ensure that we’re meeting even more of the expectations you all have for Subnautica 2.

Nothing is changing in terms of the direction of the game or the team behind it. We are confident in what we’ve created; we just want to give you a little bit more content for our first Early Access release.

We also want to showcase some of that confidence by giving you a longer look at some of Subnautica 2's gameplay. This is our first gameplay reveal teaser, and includes a glimpse at some parts of Subnautica 2 that we've been holding close to our chest.

Now that Subnautica 2 is coming out in 2026, we’ll be able to add more biomes, more vehicle upgrades, additional tools, expand on our story, and include more creatures to discover.

We will also have lots more to share with the community in the coming months. 

Our next Dev Vlog will come out a little later than intended, but we fully plan to continue providing you with information, content, and footage showcasing the work we’re doing on Subnautica 2, right up until its Early Access release and beyond. 

And we may have a few additional surprises as well.

As always, we want to thank you for your incredible and continued support for Subnautica 2. The game wouldn’t be what it is without our community. And though it’ll be in your hands a little later than we originally thought, we’re looking forward to bringing you on the journey with us.

Keep Diving!

Key Features:

• New World, New Adventure: A new world awaits alongside an all-new story. 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?
• Explore with Friends: Play alone or with up to three friends in online multiplayer co-op. Whether exploring mysterious ruins, building custom bases, or adventuring deeper into the world… The challenge of this planet will test your ingenuity and ability to adapt, in unexpected and curious ways.
• Craft Submersibles, Tools, and Bases: Survival depends on utilizing the right tools. Alongside basic items such as your Scanner and Flashlight, you’ll find recipes for more advanced tools, equipment, and submersibles. Bases are more customizable with an overhauled building system. New tools allow for greater adaptation to the world.
• Uncover Diverse New Biomes: From towering underwater cliffs to lush coral fields, this aquatic alien world is brimming with vibrant and breathtaking biomes, each teeming with diverse ecosystems and unique creatures. But something isn’t right. The world is out of balance. What happened here? What happened to you? And more importantly, where are you?
• Study Mysterious Lifeforms: Uncover a rich world full of mysterious lifeforms, from the smallest fish to the largest Leviathans. Scan creatures to learn more about them. Use your Biosampler to take samples for study. As you learn more about this world, evolve your genetics to adapt your body for survival.
• Survive Terrifying Depths: This world is vast and deep. Venture beyond the safety of shallow waters, descending into a dark unknown. Wonder and danger lurks around every corner. To survive this planet, you’ll need to push beyond your boundaries and unlock the secrets of this strange world.

Subnautica 2 is coming to Early Access on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Windows Store and via Game Preview on Xbox Series X|S with Xbox Game Pass in 2026.