I can’t believe how many people are jumping back into Subnautica right now! It’s got more players than it has in eight years, which is wild. With Subnautica 2 being in early access, a lot of us are revisiting the original to see where it all began, and honestly, it still holds up!
I’ve been playing Subnautica for years, and it’s amazing how the game keeps getting updates! It first came out in early access way back in 2014, but they just released an upgraded version for the Switch in February 2026. The whole point of the game is surviving and exploring this incredible alien ocean planet after your ship crashes. It’s funny, with the sequel being so popular, a lot of us are going back to play the original again, or checking it out for the first time!
Subnautica Sees Player Count Surge Eight Years After Launch
Though Subnautica 2 launched to huge success, selling over a million copies right away, the original Subnautica is also seeing a resurgence in popularity. Interest in the first game has been steadily growing throughout May, likely because of the excitement and memories sparked by the new sequel. By May 19th, Subnautica had a significant increase in players on Steam, reaching a peak of over 48,000 concurrent players. While the highest point was on May 17th, the game has continued to attract around 35,000 to 40,000 players each day since.
The announcement of Subnautica 2 has brought a huge surge of players back to the original Subnautica on Steam. While Subnautica 2 is attracting hundreds of thousands of concurrent players, the original game is seeing numbers it hasn’t reached in years. When Subnautica first launched, it peaked at 51,000 concurrent players, a number it’s never come close to matching since. For years, the game typically averaged around 10,000 or fewer concurrent players, with only small increases from time to time. However, the current player count is only 3,000 less than the peak from 2018, suggesting the original Subnautica could break its record if this trend continues.
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It’s normal for older games to see a renewed interest when a new installment comes out, but it’s unusual for one to become so popular again almost ten years later. The early access version of Subnautica 2 is probably driving players to try the original Subnautica, which is a complete and polished game with plenty to do. Since Subnautica 2 currently has limited progression, some players are turning to the first game for a more complete experience. The recent increase in players includes both newcomers to the series and those returning to the game that originally hooked them.
Although the first Subnautica remains a great game, both it and the sequel have their strengths and weaknesses. The original lacks built-in multiplayer, requiring mods to play with friends, while Subnautica 2 features co-op play right out of the box. However, Subnautica 2 players have expressed frustration with creatures that seem impossible to kill, a problem that doesn’t exist in the original, where even massive leviathans can be defeated with skill and effort. While Subnautica 2 promises to be a more expansive experience when finished, both games currently offer plenty of fun for anyone looking to explore the underwater world.
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2026-05-20 01:34