Subnautica 2 Officially Announced with Eerie Teaser Trailer
Thalassophobics, unite: We finally have official confirmation of the existence and impending early access release of Subnautica 2. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water–oh, who are we kidding, you knew it wasn’t safe–the popular adventure/survival series will return with another invitation to dive down to explore the deadly depths of an alien world. The game was announced with a short cinematic teaser, which you can view below, which also hints at the game’s newly confirmed multiplayer co-op mode.
Don’t fret, solo players: Like the original Subnautica, the game can also be played fully by a single person, but the existence of a co-op mode for up to four players will surely add another layer of intrigue–not to mention reaction videos from the veritable army of Subnautica YouTubers who tend to performatively play up the scariness of encountering the game’s titanic creatures. The original Subnautica spent years in development in early access by Unknown Worlds Entertainment before finally being released in its full form in 2018, going on to become a popular fusion of base building, resource collection, alien storytelling, exploration and underwater horror tropes. The 2021 follow-up spin-off Below Zero, on the other hand, was widely criticized by the original game’s player base for its more limited perceived scope and lack of ambition compared to the first title. Fans will surely be hoping that Unknown Worlds Entertainment has taken that criticism to heart in designing Subnautica 2 as a genuinely engrossing experience.
In the announcement press release, the company says the sequel will “expand on what fans loved about the previous games in the series, deepening the experience with new biomes, from towering underwater cliffs to lush coral fields, each filled with unique creatures and hidden mysteries. As players dive deeper, they will uncover the secrets at the heart of the planet.” Early access is meant to arrive in 2025 for Xbox and PC, although no specific date (or even quarter) is suggested, which means we probably shouldn’t expect it anytime soon.
As for the first teaser trailer below, you certainly can’t deny that it feels quite apropos for Subnautica, featuring a diver navigating an area that looks similar to the first game’s “Safe Shallows” biome, only to be startled by the emergence of a large crab-like creature and sucked down to a deeper depth, where it seems that he will be saved by the arrival of a co-op player in a submersible. But ah, it’s exactly when you feel safest in one of these games that the truly terrifying stuff tends to show up. There’s no doubt that the influence of Subnautica has been felt far outside just the videogame world since 2018, with terms like “Thalassophobia,” the fear of the ocean, becoming widely used and referenced as a theme among horror genre geeks in particular. We’ll be waiting with bated breath and full oxygen tanks for more details on Subnautica 2 to emerge from the depths in the coming months. In the meantime, check out the teaser below.