When Subnautica 2 was released in early access on Steam, Epic Games Store and Xbox Series X|S on May 14, 2026, no one expected such an explosive start. Within 12 hours of launch, the game surpassed the mark of 2 million copies sold, remaining the top 1 in Steam sales worldwide.
These are not just numbers. This is the story of how the development team from Unknown Worlds literally chewed out their right to release the game — and gamers responded with a massive “thank you” with their wallets.
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Steam online records: 9 times more than the original
Sales are one thing. The other is real online, which shows how much people really want to play, and not just buy and forget.
Subnautica 2’s peak online reach was 651,000 simultaneous players on all platforms. There are 467,000 people on Steam alone at the same time: about nine times more than the historical peak of the first Subnautica, released in 2018.
For context: the first part, for all its cult status, has never broken 55 thousand online. The sequel didn’t even do it in the final version.
Prior to the launch, Subnautica 2 held the first place in the Steam viselists for 36 consecutive weeks, gaining more than 5 million desired ones. Most of these people haven’t bought the game yet — the potential for sales growth is huge.
What’s new in Subnautica 2: Co-op, Unreal Engine 5 and a new planet
For those who haven’t followed the development, here’s a quick overview. The game is based on the Unreal Engine 5 and offers an alien underwater world with a fundamentally new ecosystem. The key innovations are a cooperative for up to 4 players, DNA character modifications and a completely different planet instead of the usual Four.
In the story: The deadly Haraa bacterium has broken out of quarantine zones and infected key inhabited worlds of the galaxy. The huge ship “Cicada” with 40,000 pioneers in cryosleep is flying to a new colony — the planet of Zezura. And, of course, something is going wrong.
From a technical point of view, progress is obvious: the series has switched from Unity to Unreal Engine 5 with support for Lumen and Nanite. The sun’s rays are now beautifully refracted through the water column, corals have detailed geometries, and bioluminescent lights sparkle in caves. The difference with the original is striking.
The players in the first reviews highlight: the visual part on Unreal Engine 5, cooperative multiplayer for 4 people, a survival and crafting system, as well as storytelling. The rating on Steam is “Very positive.”
What is important to know before buying Subnautica 2 in Early Access
Unknown Worlds honestly warns about possible bugs and lack of content at the start. The estimated period of early access is two to three years. At the same time, all future updates, new biomes, creatures, and story chapters will be included in the basic purchase — no combat passes, subscriptions, or microtransactions are planned.
The good news for Xbox owners is that Subnautica 2 is available through the Game Pass, meaning the game’s real audience is much wider than just the sales figures show.
The opinions of the first reviewers agree: the cooperative adds fun, but slightly smooths out the trademark feeling of loneliness that made the original special. It is also worth considering the technical limitations of multiplayer at the start: an alien world is inaccessible if the host is offline, and single saves are not transferred to multiplayer.
The Krafton scandal: how the publisher almost drowned the game — and why it will now pay $250 million
The super—successful launch of Subnautica 2 is impossible to discuss without a behind-the-scenes context – it’s worth it.
In July 2025, Unknown Worlds’ parent company, Krafton, tried to fire the studio’s founders: CEO Ted Gill, director Charlie Cleveland, and co—founder Max McGuire. The reason is officially “project interests”. The real reason is money.
When purchasing Unknown Worlds, a bonus of $250 million was prescribed, which was paid when Subnautica 2 reached certain revenue targets. When forecasts showed that the game would almost certainly reach them, Krafton CEO Chang-han Kim began using ChatGPT to develop a plan to stop or delay payments, up to and including the dismissal of studio management.
In March 2026, the court sided with Unknown Worlds: the founders were reinstated, the studio regained control of the game, and the deadline for receiving the bonus was extended by nine months.
Krafton planned to sell 2-3 million copies for the whole year — Subnautica 2 did it in half the first day. Comments are unnecessary.
Subnautica 2 vs the original: the main differences in the table
Is it worth buying Subnautica 2 in Early Access right now?
Subnautica 2 in early access is already a working, solid product, not a crude prototype. The game looks like a seamless experience where you can spend dozens of hours right now.
It’s worth buying now if you’re a fan of the first installment or the open—world survival genre, especially since all future content is already included in the price.
It’s better to wait if you want a full experience with a completed story, polished mechanics and stable multiplayer. It’s about 2-3 years before the release.
