Subnautica 2 May Never Have a Core Video Game Feature, According to Devs

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The creators of Subnautica 2 are sticking to their decision to avoid violence in the game, meaning players shouldn’t expect weapons to be included. While Subnautica 2 will expand on the original game in many ways, some fans have expressed concerns about how survival and violence are being handled, but the developers have explained their reasoning.

Even though it’s only just entered early access, Subnautica 2 is already a massive hit. It quickly became incredibly popular, with almost half a million players on Steam trying it out at the same time. The sequel builds on the success of the original, which came out eight years ago, with many improvements, though it’s not without its flaws.

Subnautica 2 Developers Discuss Non-Violence In-Game

During a recent press conference, the lead designer and media lead for Subnautica 2 discussed the game’s approach to wildlife. Players will encounter aggressive creatures, particularly when a new underwater phenomenon called ‘bloom’ is present. However, Subnautica 2 won’t allow players to kill any of the wildlife, which has caused some frustration. The developers explained this decision stems from the vision of the studio’s founder, Charlie Cleveland, who wanted to create a non-violent game without weapons. Despite requests from fans and initial feedback, the team remains committed to this core principle.

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In the original Subnautica, players couldn’t use guns, but they had tools for defense and even to kill creatures. However, early players of Subnautica 2 encountered a problem with seemingly invincible fish, which broke the feeling of being immersed in the game. According to the developer, this bothered him because players in the first game quickly tried to find ways to eliminate threats like leviathans, removing the sense of danger. To address this, Subnautica 2 focuses on tools that distract and scare away wildlife, instead of allowing players to directly attack and kill them.

Although the development team might reconsider later, adding weapons doesn’t really fit with the game’s overall design. They know players will likely keep asking for them, and they’re willing to listen if people feel helpless. Interestingly, even during development, there was significant demand for weapons – one country even suggested adding a weapons-making system for the next game, though the team lead, Gallegos, didn’t reveal which one.

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Currently, players of Subnautica 2 will need to focus on avoiding dangerous creatures instead of finding ways to eliminate them. While mods might eventually add weapons or the ability to harm wildlife, console players (including those on Xbox) will probably have to accept that Subnautica 2 is designed to be a non-violent game.

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2026-05-18 02:04