Subnautica 2 : We got a lot of news

Like many, you must be waiting for the next installment of the Subnautica franchise. Here are all the details we have.

This information comes from two sources: a press release from Unknown Worlds and an interview conducted by YouTuber Anthomnia with one of the developers from the Subnautica development studio.

Unfortunately, we can already say that there will be no release in 2024, but we can probably hope for an early access release in 2025. The game will be called Subnautica 2 (Subnautica Below Zero is considered a standalone and not a sequel) and will run on Unreal Engine 5. It will take place on a different planet from the other games. Speaking of this map difference with the other games, the developer made this rather enigmatic statement :

“When you look at the sky, you will understand that it is really different [from the other Subnauticas].”

THE developer DURING HIS INTERVIEW

The game will be a Game as a Service (meaning it will have regular updates), but as the studio has clarified, “No season passes. No battle passes. No subscription.” We can expect a system similar to ARK, with frequent updates bringing new creatures, items, and narrative interest.

The game is designed to be played solo but will also be playable in CO-OP for 2 to 4 players in the same game. We can think that features could be made for multiplayer, like a submarine where several people are needed to maneuver it. Indeed, we will have several vehicles, including submarines, as the developer confirmed during his interview with Anthomnia, with a team dedicated to their creation. The majority of the game will take place underwater; we can easily think that 80% will be underwater and 20% in structures and islands like the first installment. The story will have a link with the other two games, and the game will take place after Below Zero.

In his interview, the developer assured that there will be new Leviathans of varying sizes. He explains that a team is dedicated to the design and programming of creatures, which will allow us to have multiple creatures with more developed intelligence than in previous installments. Notably, with a dynamic environment, the studio wants creatures to interact with their surroundings. He also explains that the void will return.

Furthermore, the base-building system will be greatly improved, with, like the creatures and vehicles, a team dedicated to this task. We can expect new features, especially some that should arrive with the updates.

All these revelations are accompanied by two images revealed by the studio, screenshots taken in-game. The graphics will evolve greatly, despite already being beautifully designed, as the developer indicated in his interview.

In the first image, we see a tropical and coral environment with several colorful fish, a massive fish, and a huge creature in the background, at the top left, resembling a passive Leviathan hermit crab. We can also see a vehicle that will be available in the game, which many think will be modular like the Seatruck from Subnautica Below Zero. We can assume that this image is the first biome of the game.

The second image shows a simple scenery with some fish. This last one is from the financial report .