Subnautica 2
Upcoming video game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Subnautica 2 is an upcoming action-adventure survival game developed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment. It is a sequel to 2018's Subnautica and the third game in the series after 2021's Subnautica: Below Zero. The game is set to release in early access on May 14, 2026.[2]
Krafton[1]
| Subnautica 2 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Developer | Unknown Worlds Entertainment |
| Publishers | Unknown Worlds Entertainment Krafton[1] |
| Composer | Ben Prunty |
| Series | Subnautica |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 5 |
| Platforms | |
| Release | May 14, 2026 (early access)[2] |
| Genres | Action-adventure, survival |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
Gameplay
Set on a new planet, Subnautica 2 will support single-player and co-op gameplay with a total of up to four players, the first time multiplayer gameplay is present in the series.[3] A cinematic trailer showed a new vehicle, new creatures and environments and hinted at the introduction of an ocean current mechanic that can drag the player to another area.[4] Players will be able to modify their own DNA to acquire abilities, a feature that was originally cut from Subnautica.[5]
Development
Subnautica 2 was initially confirmed to be in production on April 7, 2022, as "the next game in the Subnautica universe".[6] In November 2023, publisher Krafton revealed in a financial report that it was to be released sometime in 2025.[7] This was followed by another report on February 8, 2024, that described it as a "multiplayer live-service game", creating fan backlash that prompted the developers to clarify that it would have "no season passes, no battle passes, no subscription".[8][9]
It is planned to be released as an early access title and will be available on PC and Xbox Series X and S.[10] Subnautica 2 is made with Unreal Engine 5.[11]
The first screenshots of the game were published in 2024, some of which were hidden within Subnautica .[12] A cinematic trailer for the game was released on October 17, 2024, during the Xbox Partner Showcase, with the early access release slated for 2025.[10] On April 23, 2025, the first in a series of dev blogs was posted on YouTube showing new content and early gameplay footage.[13]
Several major changes to the development team of Unknown Worlds Entertainment took place in July 2025 causing a number of lawsuits involving Krafton and the former development leads, with Krafton announcing that the early access release was delayed to 2026. A gameplay trailer was released alongside the delay announcement.[14]
Staff firings and lawsuits
In July 2025, Krafton announced it had replaced Unknown Worlds' CEO Ted Gill—as well as studio co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire—with Steve Papoutsis. Papoutsis had previously served as executive and senior producer at Striking Distance Studios, the developer of The Callisto Protocol.[15] Following community backlash to the leadership change, Unknown Worlds reiterated that the game would have "no subscriptions. No loot boxes. No battle pass. No microtransactions."[16] Krafton stated that the original leadership were removed as they had abandoned their responsibilities at the studio, leading to significant delays in Subnautica 2's development. Development slides showing content changes were anonymously leaked to the media during July in an apparent attempt to defend the firings and quell a rising playerbase backlash against Krafton.[17]
Cleveland, McGuire, and Gill filed a lawsuit against Krafton related to their firings that same month. It had come to light that the firings and delayed release had come months before Krafton was due to pay the development team a bonus worth up to US$250 million based on revenue targets that a release into Early Access would have helped achieve.[18] The lawsuit revealed that the plan to avoid the payout was created through the use of ChatGPT by Krafton's CEO, Changhan Kim, after their legal team had warned him that the payout had to be made even if Cleveland, Gill, and McGuire were dismissed with cause.[19]
In March 2026, a judge reinstated Gill as CEO of Unknown Worlds.[20][21] The judge found that Krafton had "breached the EPA (Equity Purchase Agreement) by terminating the key employees without valid cause and by improperly seizing operational control of Unknown Worlds".[20] As a result, the board decision on July 1—at which Krafton fired the founders, took over control of Unknown Worlds and delayed Subnautica 2—has been "declared ineffective to the extent it infringes on Gill's operational control right".[20] Furthermore, the $250 million earnout period was reintroduced until September 15, 2026, with the option to be extended until March 15, 2027.[21]
On March 18, 2026, it was announced that the game would be released in early access in May 2026.[2] However, the reinstated Unknown Worlds' leadership team claimed that the news was improperly released by Krafton and "undermined the relief sought" for in the trial, which was for Gill to determine when and how the game is to be released. Krafton insisted that their announcement did not violate the order or show contempt.[22]