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Subnautica 2 is an underwater survival game for PC from Unknown Worlds Entertainment, available on Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store. You land on a brand new alien ocean world and must survive by exploring dangerous depths, crafting tools and vehicles, and building bases to call home. The game is the next chapter in the Subnautica series, now with built-in online co-op for up to four players.
The biggest change from the original is the co-op. For the first time in the series, you can explore, build, and survive alongside up to three friends in optional online multiplayer. Solo play is fully supported too. The game also introduces a biomods system that lets you splice creature DNA into your own body for survival upgrades.
Subnautica 2 launched in Early Access on May 14, 2026 on PC and Xbox Series X|S. It is developed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment and published by KRAFTON, Inc. The game runs on Windows 11 and Windows 10, and it is included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass from day one.
Already diving? Tell us what biome you found first in the comments. Got questions before buying? Reach out to us directly.
Quick Facts
| 📅 Release Date | May 14, 2026 (EA) |
| 🛠️ Developer | Unknown Worlds |
| 🏢 Publisher | KRAFTON, Inc. |
| 🎮 Genre | Underwater Survival |
| 👥 Players | Solo + Online Co-op (4) |
| 📂 Storage | 50 GB |
| 💰 Price | $29.99 / Game Pass |
How to Download Subnautica 2 on PC
Subnautica 2 is available on Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store. If you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass, you can download it at no extra cost as a Game Preview title. The game requires around 50 GB of free storage space.
- Step 1. Choose your store. Use Steam or Epic Games Store if you prefer a standalone purchase. Use the Xbox app if you are on Game Pass.
- Step 2. If using Steam, download and install the Steam client from store.steampowered.com and sign in or create a free account.
- Step 3. If using Game Pass, open the Xbox app on Windows. Sign in with your Microsoft account and confirm your Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscription is active.
- Step 4. Search for Subnautica 2 in your chosen store and click Get (Game Pass) or Add to Cart (purchase).
- Step 5. Click Install and choose your install location. Make sure you have at least 50 GB free.
- Step 6. Wait for the download to complete, then click Play to launch.
- Step 7. On first launch, the game will introduce you to your situation. Explore the shallows first to gather resources before going deeper.
Editions and Pricing
Subnautica 2 has one edition with no deluxe version, battle pass, or microtransactions. Unknown Worlds have committed to keeping it that way.
Subnautica 2
- Full Early Access game
- Online co-op for up to 4 players
- Cross-play with Xbox
- All future EA updates included
- No loot boxes, no battle pass
Deep Ocean Bundle
- Subnautica (original)
- Subnautica: Below Zero
- Subnautica 2
- ~50% bundle discount on Steam
What Is Subnautica 2?
Subnautica 2 is the follow-up to Unknown Worlds Entertainment’s 2018 underwater survival game. Where the original dropped you on an alien ocean planet with nothing but a life pod and a flooded ship, this sequel plants you on a completely different alien ocean world. The planet is visually new, the creatures are new, and the entire story is separate. You play as a pioneer whose ship’s AI insists the mission must continue, even though the world below is extraordinarily dangerous. To survive, you have to figure out how to adapt your body to a planet that was not built for humans.
The basic cycle of play is the same one that made the original compelling. You start with almost nothing, scavenge materials from shallow water, craft better tools, build a base, and slowly push deeper into new underwater zones (called biomes) that get stranger and more dangerous the further down you go. The tension comes from the ocean itself. You cannot see what is below you, you run out of oxygen faster than you expect, and the creatures that live in the deeper zones are significantly larger and more aggressive than anything near the surface. The game does not hold your hand. You learn the hard way what each biome will and will not tolerate.
Two new systems change how survival works compared to the original. The biomods system lets you scan creatures with a Bioscanner and extract their DNA to unlock genetic upgrades for your own body. These are split into active abilities, which you can swap out, and passive adaptations, which are permanent once unlocked. You might gain enhanced night vision, improved breath capacity, or the ability to interact with certain creatures. The base building has also been overhauled. Instead of snapping pre-made pieces together, you now shape your base like clay, using a brush to push and pull a core structure into the form you want. It gives you more creative control and produces bases that look more natural and less like snapped-together building blocks.
Official Trailer
Watch the Early Access gameplay trailer for Subnautica 2 to see the new alien ocean world, the glowing bioluminescent biomes (underwater zones lit by living creatures), the base building system, and co-op exploration in action.
Key Features
🌊A Brand New Alien Ocean World
Subnautica 2 takes place on a completely different planet to the original. The biomes range from shallow coral fields full of color to deep underwater cliffs and pitch-black trenches. Every zone has its own ecosystem, its own creatures, and its own set of resources to find. The world is out of balance in a way that feeds into the story, and the further you explore, the more you understand what happened here before you arrived.
👥Online Co-op for Up to 4 Players
Co-op is fully optional and available from the start. You can invite up to three friends to explore, build, and survive together. Players can drop in and out of sessions without restarting. Resources are shared, which means you have to coordinate on what you gather. Cross-play between PC and Xbox is supported, so you can play with friends regardless of what platform they are on.
🧬Biomods: Splice Creature DNA Into Yourself
The biomods system is the biggest new mechanic in Subnautica 2. You scan creatures with a Bioscanner, extract samples, and process them in a Bio Incubator to unlock genetic upgrades. Active biomods give you abilities you can swap in and out, such as enhanced senses or movement. Passive adaptations are permanent and shape how your body functions in different environments. The more creatures you find and scan, the more options you unlock.
🏗️Overhauled Base Building
Base building in Subnautica 2 has been completely rebuilt. Instead of snapping rigid pre-made modules together, you start with a core shape and use a sculpting brush to push and pull the structure into whatever form you want. The result is bases that look organic and personal rather than boxy and modular. You can build on the ocean floor, on cliff faces, or in mid-water, and customize the layout to suit how you play.
🚤Submersibles and Customizable Vehicles
Vehicles in Subnautica 2 use a chassis system (a modular frame you build around). You pick a base frame and then attach different chassis pieces that change how the vehicle handles and what it can do. The Scout Ray Wings attachment, for example, significantly increases your speed and maneuverability in open water. Vehicles are crafted from gathered resources and can be upgraded as your technology improves. They are how you reach the deeper and more dangerous zones safely.
🦑Leviathans and Deep-Sea Threats
The deeper you go, the larger the creatures get. Leviathans, the massive predators from the original Subnautica, return in new forms on this planet. They patrol specific zones and react to noise, light, and your presence in ways that make them unpredictable. Blight encounters are a new type of threat in Early Access, and the roadmap includes more creature types and behaviors in future updates. Scanning everything you find is the key to understanding what each creature will and will not tolerate.
🤔 Is This Game for You?
✅ You Will Love It If:
- You liked the original Subnautica and want more of that feeling on a new world
- You enjoy survival games that reward exploration and curiosity over combat
- You want to play co-op without losing the atmosphere and tension of solo play
- You are on Game Pass and want a major day-one game at no extra cost
- You are comfortable with Early Access games that are actively updated
❌ You Might Not If:
- You want a finished, polished game with no bugs or missing content
- You dislike thalassophobia (fear of deep water): this game is designed to trigger it deliberately
- You prefer action-heavy survival games. The tension here is mostly psychological, not combat
- You played the original and want the same planet and story. This is a separate world and narrative
🎮 Our Take
Subnautica 2 sold 2 million copies in its first 12 hours of Early Access. That number tells you something, but it does not tell you everything. The original Subnautica built a reputation over years for being one of the few survival games that genuinely scared you through atmosphere rather than jumpscares. What is clear from the early reception is that Unknown Worlds have kept that quality intact. The new planet feels alien in the right way, the biomods system adds a layer of progression that the original did not have, and the sculpted base building is a real improvement over the modular approach. The co-op works. That is not a small thing for a game where the fear of the dark is a core mechanic. It could easily have broken the tone. Reports suggest it mostly does not.
If you are a fan of the original, the case for buying now is strong. Unknown Worlds have a track record of seeing Early Access through to a polished 1.0. If you are new to the series and not sure, the original Subnautica is cheaper and finished. Play that first. If it grabs you, Subnautica 2 is exactly the next step. If you just want to try the series at low cost, the Game Pass option removes all the risk from that decision entirely.
Why Play on PC?
- Higher Framerates: The deeper zones in Subnautica 2 are where the atmosphere is at its best. Running the game at higher framerates on PC makes the creature animations and environmental effects look noticeably smoother, which matters when a Leviathan is swimming toward you in the dark.
- Graphics Control: PC lets you push resolution, draw distance, and lighting quality beyond what consoles can match. The glowing ocean biomes in Subnautica 2 are designed to be visually striking. The better your PC, the better they look.
- Controller or Keyboard: Subnautica 2 supports both Xbox controllers and keyboard and mouse on PC. You can switch freely between the two. Console players on Xbox are locked to controller by default.
- Game Pass on PC: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass both include Subnautica 2 from day one. If you already subscribe, there is no extra cost to jump in during Early Access.
System Requirements
Subnautica 2 requires Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit) and a broadband internet connection. Online is required for co-op play.
Minimum
- OS: Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)
- CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600
- RAM: 12 GB
- GPU: Nvidia GTX 1660 6GB or AMD RX 5500 XT 6GB
- DirectX: Version 12
- Network: Broadband internet required
- Storage: 50 GB available space
Recommended
- OS: Windows 11 (64-bit)
- CPU: Intel Core i7-13700 or AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
- RAM: 16 GB
- GPU: Nvidia RTX 3070 8GB or AMD RX 6700 XT 8GB
- DirectX: Version 12
- Network: Broadband internet required
- Storage: 50 GB available space
5 Tips for Your First Hours in Subnautica 2
The ocean punishes rushing. These habits will keep you alive longer and help you make sense of the world early on.
Stay shallow until you have an oxygen tank upgrade.
Your starting oxygen supply runs out faster than you expect. The first thing to prioritize is an O2 tank upgrade, which gives you significantly more time underwater before you have to surface. Trying to explore the deeper zones without one will get you killed repeatedly. Stay in the shallows, gather materials, and upgrade your oxygen capacity before you commit to any serious depth.
Scan everything you see, even if it looks harmless.
The Bioscanner feeds the biomods system. Every creature and plant you scan adds data to your PDA (your in-game database and journal) and may unlock a new biomod or adaptation. You cannot always tell what is useful and what is not at a glance. Scan first and decide later. Some of the most powerful passive adaptations in the early game come from creatures that look unremarkable. The habit of scanning everything costs nothing and pays off significantly over time.
Build your base near resources, not just near the surface.
The temptation is to build your first base right next to your life pod. Resist it. Look around the shallows for a spot that has a decent mix of resources nearby, ideally on a flat surface with open water access in multiple directions. The sculpted base building system means you have more creative freedom in where you place structures. A base that is convenient to your resource routes saves you more time than one that is just easy to find.
In co-op, assign one person to crafting and one to scouting.
Resources are shared across the co-op session. If everyone is gathering the same materials independently, you end up with large surpluses of some things and shortages of others. Dividing roles early, one player focused on gathering and crafting at base while others push further out, is more efficient. The drop-in, drop-out system also means you can adjust this on the fly as your session size changes.
Read your PDA databank entries regularly.
Subnautica 2 does not give you a traditional quest tracker. Progress happens through discovery, and the PDA databank is where information accumulates as you scan and explore. It tracks what you have found, what you know about each creature, and what story fragments you have unlocked. Reading through it every time you surface gives you leads on where to go next and what to look for. Ignoring it leaves you feeling directionless in a game that is designed to reward active curiosity.
Gameplay Screenshots
Here is what Subnautica 2 looks like in action on PC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Subnautica 2 on Game Pass?
What are the system requirements for Subnautica 2 on PC?
Does Subnautica 2 have co-op multiplayer?
Is Subnautica 2 finished or still in Early Access?
Is there only one edition of Subnautica 2?
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