Subnautica 2, it’s official! According to a senior developer, this is in-game graphics rendered in real time. Image source: Unknown Worlds
It has been known for quite some time that a new part of the Subnautica series is in the works. What is completely new, however, is that it will be a game based on the “games-as-a-service” principle Subnautica 2 is called.
Where the title comes as no surprise, The fans reacted critically to the first supposedly new information. It came to light through a financial report from the title’s publisher, Krafton. It has since been deleted.
Facing outrage on social media, Unknown Worlds was forced to some things regarding the apparent innovation
to clarify.
We also explain to you, what you can expect from Subnautica 2. Because a whole bunch of new information was also revealed.
Co-op Subnautica and the all-clear
Via X, formerly Twitter, reach out to your community and also link a short post in the official forumwhere they explain the following:
What that Games-as-a-Service
As far as we’re concerned, we simply plan to update the game continuously for many years to come, exactly like the previous two Subnauticas. Just imagine our early access model in an expanded form. No season passes, no battle passes, no subscriptions.
Subnautica 2, everything as usual: In an interview with the YouTube channel Anthomnia Unknown Worlds President Charlie Cleveland also confirms the name: Subnautica 2. This was already on the slide of the financial report. In the interview above he also confirms that nothing will change in the payment model.
Judging by the point of view expressed in the interview, the publisher seems to have overstepped the mark here in order to make the usual Subnautica business model more worthwhile for investors.
When is the new Subnautica coming? The release in early access is still planned for the first half of 2025. But it should will provide much more information later in 2024
.
Deleted but not gone: Although the financial report is no longer available online, it has been preserved for posterity. For example, all relevant passages are can be seen in a video from the YouTube channel The Last Bacon.
10:14
Subnautica: Below Zero – Test video for the survival hit – Test video for the survival hit
What else has been confirmed for Subnautica 2?
Unknown Worlds now describes and confirms co-op multiplayer for the first time. Because the next Subnautica will be playable with up to three other people. But the focus will not be on that.
Co-op will be a completely optional way to play. Everyone will continue to be able to enjoy the game as a purely single-player experience.
GameStar author Elena should be happy about this fact, because in her column she swears by experiencing the mysterious, oppressive atmosphere of Subnautica alone.
Scene of action: The next series spin-off will not take place on the water planet 4546B, but in the waters of a completely new alien world.
More details on Subnautica 2’s graphics
A detail about the graphic is also revealed, which is supported by the image from the beginning of the news. According to Charlie Cleveland, this should be one In-game image rendered in real time
be. And Krafton wrote the following for its investors: The content is about exploring an impressive ocean world, presented in a stylized look using Unreal Engine 5.
Not photorealistic: Even though Subnautica and the spin-off Below Zero are nice games, neither part tried to achieve the most modern graphics standards, but instead stuck to a high-quality but simplified look.
The new offshoot will certainly flex its sea muscles on a new technical level, but the visual similarity to its predecessors should be retained.
Speaking of big muscles: If you watch the video to the end, you will see something gigantic from the Youtuber Anthomnia. In the screenshot there might be a big crab hiding in the background – one of the new leviathans?
