After years of anticipation and a release pushed back multiple times – not to mention the ugly legal battles between its founders and Krafton – Unknown Worlds will launch Subnautica 2 into early access on May 14th. It will be available for Xbox Series X/S and PC alongside Game Pass, and in terms of features, changes, and improvements, it represents a far more ambitious experience than previous titles. Let’s dive (no pun intended) into everything you should know, starting with the most important question: Where?
Zezura
As with previous games, you’re on a brand new planet, which seems to be called Zezura. Unknown Worlds described it as a “cold world dominated by high-altitude salt flats with alkali soils.” Which may sound surprising because where the heck is all the water? It apparently manifests in “deep crevasse lakes” between the plateaus, which extend “several kilometers into the crust” and connect via “subterranean aqueducts.” If this is indeed the case, it would make for some wild exploration, especially since we’ve mostly been exposed to the underwater sections.
The Tree
I say mostly because there’s also the tree. You’ve probably seen it in the cinematic trailer, towering above the water, its massive roots extending out. Noah, the AI that guides you (and is really insistent on completing the mission), says not to swim toward it if you get the urge. What could it be? Why is it seemingly calling out? It’s unlikely that we’ll unravel all of these mysteries during early access, especially since only “some narrative” will be available, but it’s intriguing in a Southern Reach kind of way.
Multiple Different Biomes
Beyond simply confirming biomes, the description of Zezura is what’s really intriguing. Subnautica 2 is focused on underwater exploration, and while there’s more than a chance of the salt flats and plateaus playing some role, I’m more intrigued by the deep lakes connected by the aqueducts. Where could they lead? Are those teases about the Void, which apparently constitutes most of the biosphere, true? And what about this “wet desert” that extends five thousand meters deep? We’ll have to find out first-hand.
Character Choices
Four pre-designed characters will be available to choose from at the start, with even more to be added as early access progresses. You can also expect more customization options, allowing you to tweak appearances to your liking. This is a pretty notable step-up from previous games, which offered a single fixed protagonist with no options for modifying their appearance.
The Tadpole
It may resemble the Seamoth, but the Tadpole is an altogether different breed of submersible. Smaller and highly customizable, it allows for connecting several chassis types, including the wings seen in the cinematic trailer. Best of all, your friends can hang off it, making it much easier for them to swim around since they’re clearly too lazy to get their own vehicles.
4-Player Co-op
Which is probably a good time to mention that Subnautica 2 supports co-op for up to four players. Described as an “optional way” to play, this doesn’t necessarily mean a shift to a more multiplayer-centric experience. If you want to play purely in single-player, as with previous titles, then go right ahead.
Revamped Base-Building
Base-building is one of the core tenets of many survival crafting experiences, and Subnautica is no different. For the sequel, the development rebuilt its systems from the ground up, moving away from fixed shapes (including for objects like windows) and emphasizing a more “sculptural” system. There’s more to come, obviously, from base painting and colored lights to an option for turning the lights on and off, but when early access goes live, expect extensive freedom in shaping your base your way.
New Leviathans
Of all the underwater life in previous titles, the Leviathans were easily the highlight, towering over the player and showing no mercy. Subnautica 2 will feature multiple new Leviathans at launch, the most prominent being the Collector Leviathan, content to grab players and crush them with its tentacles. There’s also one seen in the cinematic and gameplay trailers that appears to be a massive clam, slowly closing its mouth to trap the player. Others await, and overall, you can expect a wider range of “shapes and silhouettes” compared to the previous games (though the chances of returning threats like the Reaper, outside of base decorations, are very unlikely).
Developed on Unreal Engine 5
Compared to its previous games developed with Unity, Subnautica 2 runs on Unreal Engine 5 and utilizes technologies like Nanite. The results are plain to see, whether it’s in the attention to detail of the environments, the incredible use of lighting and shadows or the stunning sea creatures. Performance remains the primary concern, as always, which brings us to…
PC Requirements
At 50 GB, the sequel is already more than twice the installation size of Subnautica. Minimum requirements include an Intel Core i5-8400 or an AMD Ryzen 5 2600, 12 GB of RAM and either a GeForce GTX 1660 6GB or a Radeon RX 5500 XT 6GB for 1080p/30 FPS at Low settings. As for the recommended specs, you’ll need a Core i7-13700 or a Ryzen 7 7700X, 16 GB of RAM and an RTX 3070 8GB or an RX 6700 XT 8GB for 1440p/60 FPS at Medium. So far, so reasonable
Ultra 4K Requirements
To achieve the highest visual fidelity, however, you’ll need some beefy hardware. For the High preset at 1440p/60 FPS, the CPU requirements remain the same, but you’ll need an RTX 4070 or an RX 6900XT alongside 32 GB of RAM. Finally, for 4K/60 FPS at High settings, a Core i9-14900K or a Ryzen 9 7900X3D, 32 GB of RAM and an RTX 5070 Ti or an RX 7900XTX will be required.
More Content Than Past Early Access Launches
Aside from that bit about its size, Subnautica 2 is actually bigger than its predecessors, at least when they launched into early access. In fact, design lead Anthony Gallegos promises more biomes, creatures, Leviathans, craftables and vehicles than Subnautica 1 and Below Zero when they entered early access.
Over 20 Hours of Playtime
But what does that mean in terms of playtime? In a Discord Q&A, Unknown Worlds said it originally aimed for around 12 hours for early access but has since gone beyond this by a “significant margin.” Most playthroughs at the studio have clocked over 20 hours, but some have even managed to spend 70 hours, so if you’re the type to take their time, there’s a lot to look forward to.
No Battle Passes or Paid Subscriptions
Despite the addition of co-op, the developer clarified very early on that any mentions of “games as a service” refer to plans to update Subnautica 2 “for many years to come.” However, just like those games, there won’t be any season passes, battle passes or paid subscriptions. You buy the game once in early access, and you’re entitled to every single update after that for the foreseeable future.
Early Access Duration
The current plan, per Gallegos, is to remain in early access for at least two years, during which Unknown Worlds will add more content through updates. The “at least” part is doing some heavy lifting because it could take longer, especially as the team focuses on implementing player feedback and dedicating the time to ensure it’s “the best game possible.”