Subnautica 2
In the codexActionAdventureEarly Access

Subnautica 2

Subnautica 2 is an underwater survival adventure set on an all-new alien world, developed by Unknown Worlds. Play alone or with friends in 4-player co-op. Adapt to survive by building custom bases and crafting tools. Explore the unknown to uncover the mysteries hidden within the depths.

DEV: Unknown Worlds EntertainmentPUB: Unknown Worlds EntertainmentAppID 1962700
UPDATE PULSEevery ~1d·last 32d ago·12 recent on record

Is Subnautica 2 still being updated? — the short answer, with the evidence.

90.9
Strong

Elixir Rating

91% of 127,867 Steam reviews are positive, which after adjusting for sample size gives a reception score of 90.9. Recent developer activity did not move the score in either direction.

reception 90.9·support +0.0·Strong

Computed from Steam’s own review tally and observable developer activity — never from anyone’s opinion of the game. How this is calculated

Should you look into this?

From Steam's own record

Current price

$29.99

Development

Unusually quiet

Last heard from developers

32 days ago

Usual rhythm

every ~4.5 days

Substantial updates (6 mo)

2

Current silence

7× normal

The developers have been silent for 32 days against a normal rhythm of about 4.5 — roughly 7 times longer than usual. 2 substantial updates landed in the past six months.

Distilled by the oracle

Our coverage

1 dispatch written from this game’s announcements

releaseSep 13, 2026

Subnautica 2 Early Access 1.2 Adds Proximity Chat, Revives, and Emotes

Early Access update 1.2 — titled Buddy System — arrived for Subnautica 2 on August 19, 2026, as a free automatic download. The patch was authored by virtualdon and centers on multiplayer interaction, introducing several features flagged by the community (marked with a 🤿 in the official notes).

What changed

  • Proximity Voice Chat scales audio with distance and offers always-on, push-to-talk, or always-off modes.
  • Player Revives let teammates bring down players back before they reprint; revived players retain their equipment and recover a small amount of oxygen. Downed players may also choose to reprint immediately at their assigned Biobed.
  • Emotes — Wave, Clap, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, and Frustrated — are accessible via a new radial menu, usable in water or on land.
  • Player Trading has been added.
  • Two new characters have been introduced (no further detail provided in the source).
  • Tracking Tag can be placed inside carryables such as lockers to act as a short-range beacon; if held or in inventory during reprinting, it extends black box range.
  • A ton of bug fixes are included, per the announcement.

Design Lead Anthony Gallegos discusses the changes in an accompanying Update Vlog linked from the announcement.

For players who dive in with others, 1.2 meaningfully closes the gap between Subnautica 2's survival systems and the social fabric needed to make cooperative play feel cohesive.

Two years of development

■ substantial ■ routine

Nov2025FebMayAugNov2026FebMayAug

13 announcements · 2 substantial · 19 months with nothing

Recent Transmissions

30 entries in codex

Community AnnouncementsSep 1, 2026
Subnautica 2 Early Access Buddy System Hotfix 1

Update (3rd September): We've fixed an issue where in-progress Axum Powerplant Turbines disappeared or were no longer completable. Players affected will now see the Powerplant Turbine ghost again and be able to complete the building at no c…

Community AnnouncementsAug 20, 2026
Healing the Ocean, Together: Subnautica 2 × The Ocean Cleanup

Hello Subnauts,Since Subnautica 2 entered Early Access, you have continued to amaze us. You've charted every trench, built bases in places we never imagined possible, pulled friends into the depths with you, and shared feedback that continu…

Community AnnouncementsAug 19, 2026
Subnautica 2 Early Access 1.2 - Buddy System Update

Hello Subnauts, Subnautica 2’s Early Access 1.2 update, Buddy System, just landed! This update introduces the hugely requested Proximity Chat feature, Player Revives, Emotes, Player Trading, two new characters, and a ton of bug fixes. Anyth…

Read our dispatch on this

Read this patch for

PC GamerAug 19, 2026
Subnautica 2's latest 1.2 update is friend focused—finally adding the key mechanic to any great multiplayer game

I'm not sure there's been a better invention for multiplayer games than proximity chat. Whether it be friends screaming vengeance down the side of a mountain after you abandon them in Peak, or the wails of one of your fellow workers fall su…

PCGamesNAug 19, 2026
Subnautica 2's new "buddy system" update just made co-op a lot more immersive

Subnautica update 1.2 adds co-op revives, player trading, and proximity-based voice chat, enhancing the co-op side of the survival game. Read the full story on PCGamesN: Subnautica 2's new "buddy system" update just made co-op a lot more im…

Community AnnouncementsAug 18, 2026
Update Vlog - Early Access 1.2 (Buddy System)

Subnautica 2 Creative Director Anthony Gallegos returns to discuss everything you can expect from the 1.2 update, Buddy System, out tomorrow (August 19th).From features like Proximity Chat, Player Trading and Revives, and an all-new Trackin…

Community AnnouncementsAug 12, 2026
Subnautica 2 Experimental Branch Released

Hello Subnauts, As part of our ongoing dedication to the open development process during Early Access, we’re launching the Experimental branch of Subnautica 2 today on Steam. The Experimental branch is an entirely opt-in experience. It allo…

Rock, Paper, ShotgunJul 29, 2026
Krafton have big plans for Subnautica, after the second game's once-divisive co-op "confirmed the potential to expand beyond the existing fan base"

Subnautica 2 publishers Krafton may have had to pay Unknown Worlds a massive earn-out, after losing a farcical courtroom battle with ousted studio execs, but they're tickled pink by the ocean survival game's sales. According to Krafton's la…

PC GamerJul 29, 2026
Subnautica 2 is responsible for Krafton's 'record second quarter performance' despite the messy legal battle and accusations of sabotage

Subnautica 2 might be a chill survival game, but the journey to May's early access launch was filled with drama, legal battles and accusations of sabotage. Just recalling it all is giving me a massive headache, which I'm now going to give t…

Community AnnouncementsJul 14, 2026
Subnautica 2 Early Access Hotfix 4

Hello Subnauts, Our fourth hotfix for Subnautica 2 just arrived. We’ve fixed some progression issues, water currents appearing in bases, and the FOV slider not showing on Xbox. We continue to monitor community feedback, so please keep repor…

PC GamerJul 9, 2026
Roughly 192 Subnautica 2 players have drowned every minute since launch

It's been just shy of two months since Subnautica 2 splashed into early access, and developer Unknown Worlds is celebrating its success on X by sharing some official statistics on what players have achieved during their over 58,000,000 hour…

PC GamerJul 9, 2026
Subnautica 2 celebrates 5 million copies sold ahead of Adaptive Measures, its first early access update

It comes as a surprise to absolutely no one that Subnautica 2 has finally surpassed 5 million copies sold. It did sell two million copies in just 12 hours after all. Then, not that long ago, it broke 4 million copies sold, which was excelle…

Community AnnouncementsJul 8, 2026
Subnautica 2 Early Access 1.1 - Adaptive Measures Update

Hello Subnauts, Subnautica 2’s Early Access 1.1 update, Adaptive Measures, is out now! This update includes a ton of quality-of-life fixes, including the much-requested FOV slider, and adds targeted improvements to the game. Anything marked…

Read this patch for

PCGamesNJul 8, 2026
Subnautica 2's olive branch to fend off threats is just enough to preserve the terror

Creative Director Anthony Gallegos shows an updated Subnautica 2 roadmap, including ways to deter aggressive hostiles and more biomod slots. Read the full story on PCGamesN: Subnautica 2's olive branch to fend off threats is just enough to …

PC GamerJul 7, 2026
You still can't kill fish in Subnautica 2, but starting tomorrow you'll at least be able to 'stun' them

Everyone likes Subnautica 2. We sure do: after all that drama, it turns out the early access survival sequel is quite good, actually. Players also dig it: it's got smashing reviews on Steam and it sold a million copies in its first hour on …

Rock, Paper, ShotgunJul 7, 2026
Subnautica 2's first proper update is coming tomorrow, bringing in much needed creature behaviour changes and more

The day has come! Almost, anyway, that day being Subnautica 2's first update that isn't just a hotfix, bringing in a small bounty of those previously promised improvements that'll hopefully make you a bit less mad about the fact you can't k…

Community AnnouncementsJul 7, 2026
Update Vlog - Early Access 1.1 (Adaptive Measures)

Subnautica 2 Creative Director Anthony Gallegos is back! This time he's walking through what you can expect from our Early Access 1.1 update, Adaptive Measures, coming out tomorrow (July 8th, 2026.) He also outlines some of the features and…

Rock, Paper, ShotgunJul 1, 2026
Subnautica 2 legal battle ends with reinstated CEO stepping down, as Krafton and Unknown Worlds founders agree settlement

Shake hands with the nearest underwater critter. The Subnautica 2 legal dispute appears to finally have reached its ultimate conclusion, with a settlement agreed between publishers Krafton and the three Unknown Worlds leaders they fired las…

PC GamerJul 1, 2026
Reinstated Subnautica 2 studio CEO immediately peaces out after Krafton agrees to pay the developer bonuses it went to court to avoid

Culminating a messy, year-long legal spat, Krafton has agreed to pay bonuses to the studio staff of Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment, having reached a settlement with the studio's leadership—including ousted-and-subsequen…

PCGamesNJul 1, 2026
Krafton agrees to pay bonuses to Subnautica 2 devs following a year-long legal battle

Krafton Inc has finally brought the curtain down on a year-long legal battle with its subsidiary Unknown Worlds, agreeing to a settlement with the studio's co-founders to pay bonuses to every member of staff following the success of Subnaut…

Rock, Paper, ShotgunJun 4, 2026
Unknown Worlds outline a bunch of incoming small Subnautica 2 updates including predator behaviour adjustments and proximity chat

How about a little look ahead at what's apparently coming to Subnautica 2? Following the game's incredibly strong launch that is probably going to force Krafton to pay out that $250 million bonus after all, Unknown Worlds have released anot…

PCGamesNJun 4, 2026
Subnautica 2's next region will be its "scariest" yet, but it hides the chassis we've all been waiting for

With four million sales in the bag and counting, the journey of Subnautica 2 is off to a fantastic start. Now that it's had a month to settle down and address the biggest issues, however, developer Unknown Worlds is shifting away from frequ…

Community AnnouncementsJun 4, 2026
Dev Vlog - Swimming Forward

Our first Dev Vlog since Subnautica 2 entered Early Access is here! Design Lead Anthony Gallegos shares his heartfelt thanks on behalf of the development team for the overwhelming support for Subnautica 2 so far. He’s also covering what to …

PC GamerJun 2, 2026
Part of me wishes we could see the Subnautica 2 the devs scrapped: The Dwarf Fortress of ecosystem simulators

Subnautica, if you ask me, is a game about being incredibly wet and alarmingly hungry. It's an under-the-sea game (you can tell from the name) about hoovering up resources and using them to construct ever-more complex tools that you transce…

PC GamerJun 2, 2026
Subnautica 2's no-killing policy isn't because it's 'a game about pacifism', says design lead, but because players would 'master the crappy combat' over anything else

Subnautica 2 got into a bit of hot water (get it?) recently over some Discord comments that bluntly stated it wasn't a "killing game". Now, I didn't exactly buy into the critique of the game centered around that—I think it's perfectly fine …

Community AnnouncementsJun 1, 2026
Subnautica 2 Early Access Hotfix 3

Hello Subnauts, We just released our third Subnautica 2 hotfix! In this hotfix, we’ve addressed some DLSS issues, upgraded DLSS to version 4.5, modified creature behavior further, and fixed additional crashes. Check out the full list of cha…

PC GamerMay 29, 2026
I absolutely agree with 33% of you when it comes to your choice of freaky Subnautica 2 critters

I regret to say that I haven't actually played Subnautica 2 yet. Something about a part of the world we've only managed to explore a miniscule percentage of is inherently terrifying to me, so I tend to stay clear of anything that involves o…

PC GamerMay 28, 2026
Subnautica 2's botched bonus deal is about to wipe out more than one-third of Krafton's $736 million annual profit for 2025

One of the biggest questions surrounding Subnautica 2 isn't about the game at all, but rather the typically dull, staid business side of its development: When is Krafton going to eat that whopper of a bonus it promised Unknown World princip…

PCGamesNMay 28, 2026
Krafton may have to pay Subnautica 2 devs the $250 million bill it tried to dodge

Subnautica 2 has been such a resounding success for Unknown Worlds that publisher Krafton is going to have to pay $250 million to the game's developers. This comes after a year's worth of turbulence between the companies, which started with…

Rock, Paper, ShotgunMay 28, 2026
Krafton have reportedly agreed to pay Subnautica 2's devs that $250 million bonus, following strong early sales

Subnautica 2 publishers Krafton have reportedly agreed to pay the up to $250 million earnout to Unknown Worlds' devs, this being the bonus which was a major point of contention in the legal dispute between the former and the three Unknown W…