Subnautica 2’s Map Plans May Be a Long Time Coming

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Subnautica 2's Map Plans May Be a Long Time Coming

As a seasoned gamer with countless hours under my belt, diving into the depths of Subnautica and its icy counterpart Below Zero, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension regarding Subnautica 2. The announcement has been music to my ears, especially the inclusion of multiplayer, something that’s been missing in the series thus far. However, the prospect of waiting another three years for the game to reach its full potential is daunting, to say the least.

Following years of excitement, it was officially announced at an Xbox Partner Preview event on October 17 that Subnautica 2, the upcoming sequel to the praised survival game bearing the same name, is underway. Similar to its predecessor, this game is being developed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment, but marks their first release since they were bought by South Korean publisher Krafton in 2021. While Subnautica 2 is a continuation of both the original Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero, it appears to have no narrative link to either game. Instead, Subnautica 2 will be set on an entirely new ocean planet, offering a variety of enigmatic creatures and landscapes to explore.

Unknown Worlds Entertainment announced that the upcoming game, “Subnautica 2,” will mark the franchise’s first foray into multiplayer gaming, allowing players to team up with as many as three friends. While the prospect of multiplayer is enticing for some fans, it’s not the only exciting change in store for the sequel. According to Scott Macdonald, a developer and animator on “Subnautica 2,” the game’s map will be significantly larger than that of its predecessor upon release. However, since the game is set to launch into early access in 2025 for PC and Xbox Series X/S, it may take some time to fully realize this ambition.

It May Take a Long Time for Subnautica 2’s Map to be Fully Realized

Subnautica 1 and Below Zero Spent Several Years in Early Access Before They Launched

Unknown Worlds is following a similar approach with the release of Subnautica 2 that they did with the first two games in the series – both were initially released as early access titles. For instance, the original Subnautica was launched on Windows PCs back in December 2014 before its final version came out. It later became available on macOS and Xbox One in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The game exited early access only in 2018, making its debut on PlayStation 4 thereafter. In total, it took around 3 years for the underwater survival game to receive a complete, fully-featured launch.

As a gamer, I jumped at the chance to explore the chilly expanses of Subnautica: Below Zero when it first arrived as a spin-off from the original game. Unlike its bigger brother, this smaller-scale adventure had a much shorter early access period. It debuted on Windows PC via Steam and Epic Games Store in January 2019, just a year after the full release of Subnautica. The game eventually found its way onto various other platforms like PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and macOS, finally landing there in May 2021. On this very day, the console versions of Below Zero were released, marking the end of its early access phase. The game spent about two years during its development cycle in early access before making its grand appearance.

Since Subnautica 2 Will Launch in Early Access, Its Map Likely Won’t Be Fleshed-Out For a While

Unknown Worlds estimates that the early access phase for Subnautica 2 will last around two to three years, based on their past projects. On its official Steam page, the company indicates that this eagerly anticipated sequel is likely to be in early access for a substantial duration. The initial version of Subnautica 2, as stated by Unknown Worlds, will include several biomes, creatures, and craftable items, along with some narrative elements and multiplayer functionality. As the game’s development during early access continues, the developer plans to add significantly more content to it.

It appears that the map in Subnautica 2 might not be as expansive as the one found in the original game when it releases in 2025, given that it will still be under development by then. Assuming there are no unexpected delays, Unknown Worlds has hinted that Subnautica 2 won’t reach its full potential until at least 2027 or 2028. Although fans may have to wait longer than expected, this extra time will allow the developers to enrich the game with more content. While the map in the first Subnautica wasn’t massive by any stretch, it was still quite substantial, so creating a larger and more impressive map for Subnautica 2 will undoubtedly require significant effort.

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2024-10-25 13:04