If you’ve been waiting for updates on the long-rumored next entry in the Subnautica franchise, the recent Bloomberg Subnautica 2 reporting has given players their first official look at what to expect from Unknown Worlds’ next underwater survival title. I’ve spent over 300 hours across the original Subnautica and Below Zero, so I’ve broken down all the confirmed details, plus added context for long-time fans and new players alike to know what’s worth getting excited about, and what small changes might take some getting used to. You don’t have to dig through pages of industry reporting to get the key details, because I’ve pulled all the most important bits right here.
What Bloomberg Subnautica 2 Reporting Confirms About the Core Story
Unlike Below Zero, which was a smaller, standalone expansion set in a polar region of the same planet 4546B, the new game is a full sequel that takes place nearly a decade after the events of the original title. The Bloomberg report confirms that players will step into the shoes of a new protagonist, a researcher sent to 4546B as part of a larger corporate expedition to study the planet’s recovering ecosystem after the Kharaa bacterium was eradicated. You won’t be alone on the planet this time around, which is one of the biggest departures from the isolated vibe of the first two games. That doesn’t mean you’ll have constant company, though: the expedition goes wrong almost immediately, and you’ll be separated from your team within the first hour of gameplay.
Long-time fans will be happy to hear that the Sea Emperor Leviathan plays a small but critical role in the opening plot, tying the new story directly to the choices players made in the original game. You won’t have to have played the first two titles to follow the plot, though, as there’s a quick optional recap sequence at the start that explains all the key events new players need to know. I’m most excited about the new moral choices that are being added, which will change how local alien creatures interact with you and how the final act of the story plays out, something that was entirely missing from the linear plots of the first two games.
Major Gameplay Changes Coming to the Sequel
The Bloomberg report also outlines several big gameplay overhauls that address some of the biggest complaints players had about the first two games. For starters, inventory management has been completely reworked, with separate slots for tools, resources, and personal gear so you don’t have to constantly juggle space between crafting materials and survival items like food and water. You’ll also be able to mark specific resources on your scanner, so you don’t have to memorize where you found that rare deposit of lithium when you finally need it to build a better submersible.
There are also three new biomes confirmed so far, each with unique hazards and creatures you won’t have seen in previous games:
- The Glow Reef: A shallow, brightly lit biome full of bioluminescent coral that’s safe for early-game exploration, with plenty of common resources and small, non-hostile creatures to scan.
- The Abyssal Trench: A 3km deep chasm with crushing water pressure, bioluminescent predatory creatures, and rare mineral deposits that are required for late-game upgrades.
- The Floating Kelp Forest: A mid-game biome with massive kelp stalks that float to the surface, home to both friendly herbivores and camouflaged predators that hide in the kelp fronds.
I was particularly happy to hear that base building has been expanded too, with new modular pieces that let you build underwater bases that can move slowly across the ocean floor, so you don’t have to abandon your base when you move to a new biome to explore. The only downside I’ve seen so far is that vehicle durability is now a permanent mechanic, so you’ll have to repair your submarines and sea gliders regularly if you take damage from creatures or terrain collisions. Creature AI has also been completely rewritten, so predators won’t just attack you on sight every time. Some will only attack if you get too close to their nesting grounds, while others will avoid you if you carry specific resources or make loud noises with your tools. That adds a lot more strategy to exploration, because you don’t have to constantly fight or run from every large creature you come across.
What We Know About Multiplayer Support
One of the most requested features for Subnautica over the years has been official multiplayer support, and the Bloomberg report confirms that the new game will launch with full 4-player co-op support, both for the main story and free play mode. You can join or leave a friend’s game at any point, and all progress you make in co-op will carry over to your single player save, so you don’t have to start over if you want to switch between playing alone and with friends.
There are also co-op exclusive mechanics that make playing with friends feel worth it, like shared base storage, group vehicle controls, and special co-op only puzzles that require two or more players to solve. That said, you won’t miss out on any core story content if you prefer to play alone, as all puzzles have single player solutions that just require a little more creativity to pull off. The developers have also confirmed that there are no plans for competitive multiplayer, so you don’t have to worry about other players raiding your base or stealing your resources if you join a public game.
I do have a small concern about how multiplayer will work for players with slower internet connections, but the developers have stated that they’re prioritizing offline single player first, so even if the co-op has bugs at launch, the core single player experience will be polished and fully playable without an internet connection.
Pro Tips to Prepare for Launch
Even though the game doesn’t have an official release date yet, there are a few things you can do right now to make sure you’re ready to jump in as soon as it launches, especially if you’re new to the Subnautica franchise. First, if you haven’t played the original Subnautica, it’s worth picking up on sale to get used to the core survival mechanics, like managing oxygen, food, and water while exploring underwater. You don’t have to beat it, but even 5 or 10 hours of play will make the sequel feel much more familiar when you start.
Don’t waste time stockpiling resources in your old Subnautica saves, though, as there’s no cross-save support between the old games and the new sequel. It’s also a good idea to think about what playstyle you want to use first: if you prefer to focus on story, you can turn down survival difficulty to make resource gathering easier, while players who want a challenge can turn on permadeath mode where your save is deleted if you die. If you’re planning to play co-op, talk to your friends now to decide who will specialize in what roles, like base building, exploration, or resource gathering, to make your first playthrough run as smoothly as possible.
One last tip: don’t rush through the early game biomes to get to the deeper areas as fast as possible. The first two Subnautica games reward slow, careful exploration, and there are tons of hidden story details and useful resources in the shallow areas that you’ll miss if you speed through to the deeper parts of the map. Taking your time will also help you learn the patterns of new creatures before you run into more dangerous ones in deeper water.
All in all, the Bloomberg Subnautica 2 reporting makes it clear that Unknown Worlds is building a sequel that stays true to the core of what made the first two games so beloved, while adding enough new features and quality of life improvements to feel fresh for long-time fans. Whether you’re a veteran who has put hundreds of hours into exploring 4546B, or a new player who has never tried an underwater survival game before, there’s going to be something to love in the new title. We’ll update this page as more official details are released, so check back regularly for the latest news, tips, and guides as we get closer to launch.
