Subnautica 2: Everything you need to know.

Join me, Luke Patrick, for this new blog series diving into the biggest upcoming games of 2026. 

This week will be looking at a long-awaited sequel, Subnautica 2. Here is everything you need to know!

Hello, my name is Luke Patrick. I am an aspiring journalist from Leeds. I am so excited to start writing for Devote Radio. I have so many ideas that I can’t wait to share with everyone.

Screenshot from Subnautica / Subnautica 2 © Unknown Worlds Entertainment. Used for editorial purposes.

This blog is part of a new ten-week series. I will be doing a deep dive into all the biggest upcoming games of 2026, from GTA 6 to Wolverine on PS5. I can’t wait to get started, and I hope you enjoy it.

This week, we explore the long-awaited sequel Subnautica 2, an open-world underwater survival game.

Players experience the game as Ryley Robinson, Non-Essential Chief for the Alterra organisation. The game begins with Robinson hurriedly climbing into an escape pod as the Aurora explodes. He then seeks refuge on the ocean planet 4546B. Players explore the alien underwater world, gather resources, and build bases as they uncover the secrets of the ocean planet.

Screenshot from Subnautica / Subnautica 2 © Unknown Worlds Entertainment. Used for editorial purposes.

Subnautica 2 is the third game in the series. The first, Subnautica, entered early access in December 2014 and was fully released in January 2018. Subnautica: Below Zero was a spin-off set in a different location on 4546B. It was released in early access on January 30th, 2019, and fully released in May 2021. 

Screenshot from Subnautica / Subnautica 2 © Unknown Worlds Entertainment. Used for editorial purposes.

Subnautica 2 is a direct sequel to the first game. Fans were extremely excited when the first teaser trailer dropped on the Subnautica YouTube channel in October 2024. The trailer received an overwhelmingly positive reaction from the fandom, including from big YouTubers like Jacksepticeye, who commented, “We are so back!!”

Screenshot from Subnautica / Subnautica 2 © Unknown Worlds Entertainment. Used for editorial purposes.

The teaser trailer gave fans lots to be excited about, including a brand-new safe shallows area with vibrant colours and amazing graphics. One of the new vehicles, the Tadpole, was shown to fans for the first time. A small one-person submarine similar to the Seamoth and Seatruck from previous games would have sparked excitement amongst fans. Another important aspect of the Subnautica experience is the massive alien sea creatures players must avoid. The teaser trailer delivered on this: at the end, a mysterious purple glow can be seen in the darkest depths behind the player as enormous tentacles reach out to block them from view. This will give fans the scares for which Subnautica is best known.

However, the biggest part of the teaser trailer was the confirmation that Subnautica 2 would feature multiplayer. This welcome change contrasts with previous instalments, which were single-player only. The Subnautica 2 YouTube channel has released short videos showcasing new features and offering behind-the-scenes content. One of the dev logs was titled Diving in Together in Multiplayer.

Screenshot from Subnautica / Subnautica 2 © Unknown Worlds Entertainment. Used for editorial purposes.

Anthony Gallegos, the Design Lead for Unknown Worlds, said in the Diving in Together in Multiplayer Dev Log: “Players latched onto isolation, and that became so essential to Subnautica. But now with Subnautica 2 and a fresh start, new engine, we thought to ourselves Okay, we can still make a game that can deliver on isolation for players who want that, but we can also have multiplayer.” Lead Engineer Jon Bjarnason said, “When you want to build a truly immersive good multiplayer experience for players, it is to build it from the ground up.”

Screenshot from Subnautica / Subnautica 2 © Unknown Worlds Entertainment. Used for editorial purposes.

In Subnautica 2,  players can play solo or with up to 3 other friends. The new multiplayer system gives players a lot of flexibility, as they can seamlessly and easily convert previously single-player worlds to multiplayer and invite friends to play. This can be done either by the friends list on their machine or from the one within the game.

All game images are the property of Unknown Worlds Entertainment and are used here for commentary/review purposes.