Subnautica 2 launching with multiplayer and "several biomes", but early access will last "2 to 3 years"
Devotin' full time to floatin'.
Following yesterday's first proper Subnautica 2 reveal, developer Unknown Worlds has given some early hints at what players can expect when the underwater survival adventure launches into early access next year. Multiplayer support and "several biomes" will feature on day one, but there's plenty of time to evolve given early access is expected to last "about 2 to 3 years."
Subnautica 2 (which will be the third entry in Unknown World's series, following on from its 2018 original and 2021's standalone expansion Subnautica: Below Zero) was initially teased back in April 2022, with its big new feature being co-op for up to four players.
Subnautica 2's briefly controversial multiplayer mode got a bit of a hat tip in this week's debut teaser trailer, which features two divers working together to explore the oceanic depths of an alien planet. However, Unknown Worlds has now revealed a little bit more of what players can expect when the game launches next year.
"You are a pioneer traveling to a distant world, but something is amiss," the studio teases in a recently published listing on Steam. "The ship's AI insists you carry on the mission. This world is too dangerous for humans to survive... Unless you change what it means to be human. What creatures, intelligent or otherwise, await your arrival?"
Subnautica 2 continues the series' tradition of nautical survival, but this time takes place on an all-new alien ocean planet. It'll see players exploring everything from towering underwater cliffs to lush coral fields, all with their own diverse ecosystems and unique creatures. "But something isn't right," adds Uknown Worlds. "The world is out of balance. What happened here? What happened to you? And more importantly, where are you?"
Alongside multiplayer, Subnautica 2 promises an "overhauled building system", and "new tools [that] allow for greater adaptation to the world". But as to what'll be included when early access access begins next year, Unknown Worlds is touting a "multiplayer mode, several biomes, some narrative, and a variety of creatures and craftables." This initial offering will expand with "more biomes, creatures, craftables, features, and narratives" as development continues.
Players thinking of waiting for Subnautica 2's full 1.0 release might be hanging on for a while, however, with Unknown Worlds saying it currently expects the game to be in early access development for "about 2 to 3 years". There are a "number of goals" it's "adamantly working towards", and the studio is focusing on "delivering quality at a reasonable pace".
Subnautica 2 doesn't have a launch date yet, but it'll be available through Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Xbox Series X/S when its early access begins in 2025.