Subnautica 2 launched into early access on May 14, 2026, for Windows PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, and Xbox Series X/S [1, 2, 3]. The game sold 1 million copies within its first hour, hitting over 460,000 concurrent players on Steam and becoming the fourth most played game there at launch [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
Within 12 hours, the game passed 2 million copies sold across all platforms, with peak concurrent players exceeding 651,000, including over 467,000 on Steam alone [2, 8, 9]. By comparison, the original Subnautica reached a peak of roughly 51,000 concurrent Steam players, making the sequel’s launch roughly nine times more popular on that platform [2, 8].
Before launch, Subnautica 2 was the most wishlisted game on Steam, with more than 5 million wishlists, signaling high anticipation from gamers [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Development began around 2022 and was originally targeted for a 2025 release but faced delays due to legal disputes and leadership changes involving publisher Krafton and developer Unknown Worlds [1, 4, 8, 6, 7, 9].
In July 2025, Krafton removed Unknown Worlds’ leadership, including CEO Ted Gill, reportedly to avoid paying a $250 million bonus tied to sales milestones for Subnautica 2 [4, 8, 6]. A judge reinstated Gill in March 2026 and extended the bonus earnout period [3, 4, 8, 6, 7, 9].
The game leaked online days before launch, but early sales data suggest piracy did not significantly impact revenue [4, 8]. Subnautica 2 lead designer Anthony Gallegos acknowledged piracy but noted frustration with those flaunting illegal copies. He said, "I would much rather people buy the game, try it for an hour, and return it than go play it illicitly" [10].
Subnautica 2 features co-op multiplayer for up to four players and is built on Unreal Engine 5 [8]. Early access reviews have been generally positive, with IGN rating it 7/10 [4, 8].
The early access period is expected to last about two to three years as development continues [3].
