If you’ve spent dozens of hours navigating the eerie, bioluminescent depths of the original Subnautica or Below Zero, you’ve probably daydreamed about exploring the next alien ocean with a friend without having to buy the same console or PC build first. I’ve lost count of how many times my console-gaming roommate and I have had to pass a controller back and forth to beat tough leviathans or build out sprawling underwater bases, so I dug into every available update to answer one question I see popping up on every Subnautica forum: is Subnautica 2 gonna be crossplay? We’ll cover official comments, expected platform support, cross-save functionality, and what to do if you want to lock in co-op play with your crew on launch day.
What We Know Right Now: Is Subnautica 2 Gonna Be Crossplay?
Unknown Worlds Entertainment, the studio behind the Subnautica franchise, has been very open about its priority to build crossplay functionality directly into the sequel from the start, rather than adding it as a post-launch afterthought. Multiple community updates from the dev team have confirmed that cross-platform play is a core feature planned for launch, not a stretch goal or optional add-on. Crossplay will be enabled for all co-op modes at launch, per official developer statements, so you won’t have to wait months to play with friends on other systems.
Confirmed launch platforms for Subnautica 2 include PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, so crossplay between these three platforms is guaranteed. The team is still evaluating cross-generation support for older consoles like PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch support remains unconfirmed as of the latest updates. If you or a friend play on older hardware or Switch, you’ll want to follow official announcements for updates on crossplay eligibility for those systems.
If you’ve been waiting for crossplay support to pick up the sequel, these early confirmations mean you don’t have to worry about buying multiple copies of the game to play with different friend groups. The dev team has also noted that they’re working to avoid the crossplay connectivity issues that plagued some of their earlier post-launch patches for Below Zero, so the experience should be far more stable from day one.
Crossplay Features We Expect to See in Subnautica 2
Crossplay for Subnautica 2 won’t just let you join lobbies with friends on other platforms. The dev team has shared details about a full suite of cross-platform features designed to make co-op play seamless no matter what system you use. Some of the most anticipated confirmed and expected features include:
- Full co-op campaign crossplay: You’ll be able to play through the entire main story with friends no matter what supported platform they own the game on, with no story content locked behind platform-specific restrictions.
- Cross-platform private lobbies: Host or join custom games with password protection, so you only play with people you invite, no random joiners popping up in your base unannounced.
- Shared base building access: All players in a crossplay lobby will have the same editing permissions for shared bases, no platform-based restrictions on building or modifying structures.
- Cross-save progression sync: You can start playing on your PC at home, pick up where you left off on your handheld console when you travel, and join friends on their console without losing any of your collected resources or base builds.
A lot of players worry that crossplay will come with performance tradeoffs, but the dev team has stated that they’re building separate performance profiles for each platform, so PC players with high-end builds won’t be capped by console performance limits, and console players won’t experience lag from PC players running higher graphical settings. Modded PC lobbies will be separate from console lobbies by default, so you don’t have to worry about joining a game with custom content you don’t have installed unless you opt in to modded crossplay. None of these limitations are dealbreakers for most players, but they’re important to note if you’re counting on seamless crossplay from day one.
Potential Crossplay Limitations to Keep in Mind
No crossplay system is perfect, and there are a few confirmed and likely limitations to Subnautica 2’s cross-platform functionality that you should plan for ahead of launch. First, as mentioned earlier, Nintendo Switch and older generation console support is not yet confirmed, so you may not be able to play with friends on those systems at launch. There’s no word yet on if those platforms will get crossplay support post-launch, but the dev team has said they’re prioritizing launch platforms first.
Region-locked crossplay may be enforced in some areas to comply with local data privacy laws, so if you have friends in other parts of the world, you might need to adjust your account region settings to play together. The team is working to minimize region locks as much as possible, but some areas will have mandatory restrictions that can’t be bypassed.
Built-in cross-platform voice chat is still in development, and it may not be available at launch. If you rely on in-game voice chat to coordinate with friends, you’ll probably want to set up a third-party voice app like Discord for your group ahead of time to avoid communication issues. In-game purchases like cosmetic skins and building packs will also be tied to your platform account unless you link your game to a central Unknown Worlds account, so if you buy a skin on Xbox, you won’t see it on your PC copy unless you link your accounts first.
How to Prepare for Subnautica 2 Crossplay Before Launch
If you want to hit the ground running with crossplay when the game launches, there are a few simple steps you can take right now to avoid delays or issues on day one. First, make sure all your friends have linked their platform accounts to a free Unknown Worlds account. This is required for crossplay access, so doing it early will save you time on launch day when servers are likely busy with new players.
Confirm which platform your friend group plans to play on first, just in case there are any last-minute crossplay delays for specific platform pairs. Even if crossplay works as promised, you’ll have a smoother launch experience if you all have the game pre-installed on your chosen platforms, so you don’t have to wait for downloads while everyone else is already exploring.
If you’re a PC player, make sure your system meets the minimum requirements for Subnautica 2, because crossplay won’t fix performance issues from outdated hardware. If you plan to run mods, make sure you’re only joining modded lobbies with friends who have the same mods installed, to avoid crashes or corrupted save files. I already linked my Steam, Epic, and Xbox accounts to my Unknown Worlds profile a few months ago, and it only took about two minutes total, so it’s well worth doing ahead of time even if you don’t plan to play crossplay right away.
At the end of the day, the wait for the next Subnautica installment is almost over, and it’s a huge relief that the dev team is prioritizing accessible co-op for all players. There are still a few small details to be locked in before launch, but the answer to is Subnautica 2 gonna be crossplay is a resounding yes for all major launch platforms. As long as you take a few minutes to link your accounts and coordinate with your friend group ahead of time, you’ll be exploring the next alien ocean, fighting off leviathans, and building your dream underwater base with your friends no matter what system they play on. Keep an eye on official developer channels for the latest crossplay updates as we get closer to launch.
