Subnautica 2 is Already Giving The Original a Run For Its Money

Subnautica 2 is Already Giving The Original a Run For Its Money

As a seasoned Subnautica fan who has spent countless hours exploring the depths of Planet 4546B and battling terrifying sea creatures in both Subnautica 1 and Below Zero, I can’t help but be thrilled about the upcoming sequel, Subnautica 2. The addition of co-op gameplay is particularly intriguing, as it opens up a whole new world of possibilities for underwater exploration and camaraderie.


At Microsoft’s October 2024 Partner Preview for Xbox, several forthcoming projects were showcased, including an expansion of Alan Wake 2 titled The Lake House, a terrifying game by Bloober Team named Cronos: The New Dawn, and the eagerly awaited sequel to an indie game, Subnautica 2. This third installment in the Subnautica series, following Subnautica 1 and the spin-off Subnautica: Below Zero, will again immerse players in a stunning yet treacherous underwater alien world where they must struggle to survive. Few details have been revealed about gameplay, but the developers at Unknown Worlds Entertainment have disclosed that co-op mode will be a new addition in the upcoming sequel.

Subnautica 2’s Optional Co-Op Explained

As confirmed by Donyy Abramo, Community Manager at Unknown Worlds, the upcoming game Subnautica 2 will introduce a four-player cooperative mode, allowing players to jointly explore alien oceans. However, it will also maintain a single player option like its predecessors. The developers anticipate that co-op play will test the integrity and adaptability of both veteran and novice players as they encounter unexpected situations and complications in the uncharted waters of an unknown alien planet. Unlike many other cooperative games, playing solo in Subnautica 2 will still deliver a “familiar experience” similar to previous versions and offer equal challenges, whether you choose to venture alone or with a team.

In contrast, it’s important to note a single condition regarding the cooperative play in Subnautica 2: the game will exclusively provide online multiplayer, thus omitting the local split-screen couch co-op mode. Regardless of this restriction, Subnautica 2 is scheduled for Early Access release in 2025 through the Xbox Game Preview program. This early access allows players to share their feedback about any bugs or gameplay issues they encounter during development. For instance, if gamers have trouble connecting with friends online on platforms like Steam, Epic Games Store, or Xbox, they can communicate this problem to Unknown Worlds in hopes of addressing and resolving it before the official release.

As an ardent fan, I’m thrilled to share that the next installment in our beloved series, Subnautica 2, will be a groundbreaking adventure on a completely new extraterrestrial planet. Unlike its predecessors, Subnautica 1 and Subnautica: Below Zero, which were set on Planet 4546B, this game promises to take us to uncharted territories!

The Potential of Subnautica 2’s Co-Op

As of now, no actual gameplay footage of Subnautica 2 has been disclosed yet, whether it’s single-player or cooperative. Although Unknown Worlds unveiled a cinematic teaser trailer for Subnautica 2, depicting a solitary diver descending into what seems like a blue abyss and being rescued by another diver in a Seatruck. However, a colossal, tentacled sea creature suddenly appears and presumably assaults them as the trailer concludes. In an Xbox Wire article about Subnautica 2, they also shared some early screenshots of the game that displayed two characters swimming together and another with two Seatrucks approaching a massive, crab-like creature resembling a Japanese spider crab.

Although a cooperative gameplay demonstration is yet to be unveiled in Subnautica 2, the possibilities for how it might operate are intriguing. It may resemble Minecraft, allowing players to join others’ underwater realms around the world spawn point and then explore at will from there. Players could collaborate on completing the main story and mysteries of Subnautica 2 or construct their individual underwater bases. If players can seamlessly enter and exit one another’s worlds, Subnautica 2 might operate like an aquatic Animal Crossing, offering players a chance to compare each other’s worlds and play community-created games.

The Benefit of Co-Op in Subnautica 2

One of the most alluring features of the Subnautica series is its vast alien oceans filled with all kinds of fantastical creatures. However, these creatures and vastness often served as a double-edged-sword, with many players becoming too frightened to journey further into the dark ocean depths in risk of encountering terrifying Leviathans or losing precious equipment. Subnautica 2’s new co-op option could have players work together to help each other face their fears of the ocean’s mysteries and help encourage more players to actually complete the game. Co-op can also alleviate some of the innate horror of exploring an alien ocean through comedic interactions with friends similar to Lethal Company.

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2024-10-22 21:13