Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero are slated for a February 17 release on the platform, but the developers haven’t been content with a mere port. Instead, they’ve opted for graphical and gameplay optimizations to deliver a more immersive experience. For starters, they’re both going to hit 1440p when docked and 1080p in handheld mode, while running at a buttery smooth 60 FPS across the board.

Those improvements could work very well with optimizations for the Joy-Con 2 that aim for “precise movement, smooth exploration, and refined interaction”, all of which are great news for a gameplay loop that requires all three for your success.

In a press release, producer Michael Verrette gave a nod to the game’s community of players, acknowledging their role in its success and as the key motivator for bringing the first two games to the Switch 2. “Bringing Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero to Nintendo Switch 2 is about welcoming new players into that community, while giving longtime fans a chance to experience these worlds again in a way that feels fresh, smooth, and more immersive.”

Owners of the Switch versions can upgrade their copies for free via an Upgrade Pack. The announcement comes hot on the heels of a Dev Diary that showed off Subnautica 2’s multiplayer features ahead of its release.

Available for PS4, Ace Combat 7: Skies of Unknown sees players controlling Trigger, a fighter pilot serving his penance while Osea and Erusea wage war. Launched in 2019, Bandai Namco’s air combat title has sold over seven million copies and earned critical acclaim. If you’re the least bit interested in Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, then it’s absolutely worth playing Ace Combat 7 first.

Subnautica: Below Zero is somewhat less mandatory before the next game enters early access this year. Coming to PS4 and PS5 subscribers, it offers new characters, biomes, creatures, and mechanics, such as surface exploration. Not as acclaimed as the original, but it’s still one of the better survival crafting adventures out there.

The same goes for ULTROS on PS4 and PS5, at least in the sci-fi side-scrolling department. With trippy visuals courtesy of El Huervo (Hotline Miami) and an incredible soundtrack, it’s an adventure unlike most. And if realistic boxing is your poison, Undisputed, available exclusively for PS5, could be worthwhile. With over 70 fighters and dozens of Attributes and Traits to master, there’s a lot to keep you busy.

Sons of the Forest

Sons of the Forest is a brutal survival game that tasks players to hold their backs against cannibalistic primals with only a limited few resources to spare. It presents its brutal world with gorgeous graphics and striking attention to detail, and the gradual process of collecting resources and becoming more powerful is one that will keep you hooked for dozens upon dozens of hours. Add to that the ability to enjoy exploring with friends, and Sons of the Forest becomes a great option for a co-op open-world experience.

Aragami 2

The original Aragami was a surprisingly solid stealth game in a market mostly devoid of such releases, and 2021’s Aragami 2 excellently builds on those foundations to create a sequel that’s both larger and better in more aspects than one. Aragami 2 allows you to take enemies head-on with a brand new combat system, mission objectives are more varied than before, and you can also tackle the many missions with friends thanks to support for co-op – making it a dream come true for stealth game fans.

These include the Large Room, Glass Dome and surface hatches. The save system has also been “refactored and optimized” to be faster and more reliable. In addition, some accessibility options have been made, like the TextMeshPro plugin for improved UI readability, an “Unstuck” button and a PDA pause. Item bars from Below Zero and an option to disable light flashes are also available.

Over 800 bug fixes for base building, navigation and piloting issues have also been implemented. However, those on a modded playthrough can select the “legacy” beta on Steam and continue playing. The developer also promises some “more exciting news for you in the new year,” which could be related to its next Subnautica title (which past job listings confirmed was in development).

Stay tuned for more updates, and check out the patch notes for the Living Large update below.

Subnautica Living Large Update

Patch Notes

All Platforms

• Improved font rendering to increase UI readability and visual quality
• Adds accessibility features: UI scaling, PDA pause, option to disable light flashes
• Item bars
• Adds pinned recipes
• Adds run mode
• Improved Air Bladder functionality
• Adds the Large Room and Glass Dome base pieces from Subnautica: Below Zero
• Adds Land Hatches from Subnautica: Below Zero
• Pings are now visible when piloting the Cyclops
• Save system improvements
• Improved performance
• Improved subtitles sync
• Loading screen improvements
• Intro skipping improvements
• Various performance optimizations
• Improved control mapping, for things like transferring items between inventory and storage
• Fixed some creatures not spawning properly
• Fixes for some VFX issues
• Fixed multiple terrain streaming issues (vehicles/items falling through)
• Fixed multiple issues related to base-building, vehicles
• Fixes for many possible photosensitive issues
• …And many more various bug fixes!

PC

• Changed how the dev menu is accessed to SHIFT + `
• Fixed jittery movement on land
• Less likely to get stuck in Alien Bases while operating the Prawn
• Added an option to limit FPS
• Added Cloud Save Support
• Legacy Steam branch for Mod Integrity
• Fixed VR frame lag in PDA UI screen movement
• Fixed a VR issue with player orientation being slanted in some scenarios
• Fixed Sunbeam countdown timer not showing up in VR
• Fixed VR Main Menu prompts on selecting and interacting with the menu

Subnautica: Below Zero (Hardcore Mode)

Like the first game, Subnautica: Below Zero has three game modes. Survival is your usual playthrough where health, food, oxygen, and water must be managed. Items are dropped on death, and given the various monstrosities in 4546B, you will die quite a bit. However, you can respawn and usually get them back.

Hardcore Mode is Survival but with only one life – when you’re dead, that’s it. To add more spice, if your Oxygen levels are low, the PDA doesn’t give a warning, so it’s easy to drown. Jumping in and trying to figure everything out is tough enough, but Hardcore will test your limits and patience.

Announced over Twitter by Geoff Keighley, Unknown Worlds’ new game is set to be a new IP not based on Subnautica, and will feature a sci-fi setting. The reveal will also include gameplay. The game will be shown off on August 23.

Earlier this year, job listings for Unknown Worlds indicated that the studio was recruiting more developers for a new game set in the Subnautica universe. The studio is yet to make any official announcement about its plans for the next Subnautica game, however.

In 2021, Unknown Worlds had announced that it had been acquired by Krafton of PUBG: Battlegrounds fame. Despite being owned by Krafton, however, Unknown Worlds is set to operate independently from Krafton.

The most recent game in the Subnautica franchise, Subnautica: Below Zero, was released back in 2021. The game built on the strengths of the original Subnautica, which was already praised for its enticing gameplay loop coupled with interesting setting and story.

For more details about Subnautica: Below Zero, check out our review.

At @gamescom Opening Night Live on August 23, are excited to reveal the next game from @unknownworlds the creators of @Subnautica

This is a brand new sci-fi IP, and we'll show you lots of gameplay too!

Tune in live on August 23 at 8pm CEST / 2p ET / 11a PT for the announcement. pic.twitter.com/uxMAcGR5hJ

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) August 9, 2022

FAR CRY 6

No year is complete without Ubisoft putting out another new massive open world game. Far Cry 6 was the company’s big release for 2021, and to no one’s surprise, it delivered a huge sandbox, in terms of both, size and variety. While there are plenty of people out there who’re getting a little sick of what’s come to be known as “Ubisoft bloat”, there’s an equally sizeable contingent of players who’re more than happy to keep diving into worlds as large as this one.

With this acquisition, Unknown Worlds is now the sixth major studio under Krafton. CEO CH Kim said, “Unknown Worlds are incredibly skilled and passionate developers with an unparalleled gift for creativity and a proven track record of building successful player-driven worlds. Krafton will spare no effort in helping them. Not only do they enhance our development capabilities, but we share a goal of creating unique experiences for global audiences.”

Unknown Worlds CEO Charlie Cleveland said, “It was immediately apparent how closely Unknown Worlds and Krafton are aligned in the way we think about games and game development. Subnautica and PUBG both started humbly and evolved successfully through constant iteration and feedback. We want to bring new games to the world stage – and with Krafton, we’re a big step closer. We’re truly looking forward to our future together.”

Though Unknown Worlds will be owned by Krafton, it will continue to function independently with its leadership still in place. Updates are still coming for Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero but the studio is also busy developing a “new genre-defining” title that’s planned for an early access launch next year. We’ll have to wait for more details in the meantime.

Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero are both available for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Next week on September 23rd, Lost Words: Beyond the Page, Sable and Subnautica: Below Zero join the service, being playable via cloud, consoles and PC. Tainted Grail: Conquest, a rogue-like RPG deckbuilder, becomes available on the same day exclusively for PC subscribers. On September 28th, tactical first-person shooter Lemnis Gate becomes available for console and PC players.

September 30th sees the arrival of RPG Astria Ascending for all cloud, consoles and PC while Unsighted will be available the same day for consoles and PC. October 1st sees the arrival of XCOM-esque strategy title Phoenix Point for console players. Overall, there’s a lot to look forward to.

However, certain titles will be leaving on September 30th so play the following now while you still have the chance.

• Drake Hollow (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Ikenfell (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Kathy Rain (PC)
• Night in the Woods (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Warhammer: Vermintide 2 (Cloud and Console)