If you’re a fan of the original Subnautica’s tense, beautiful underwater survival gameplay, you’ve almost certainly asked is Subnautica 2 on PS5 as you wait for the next entry in the franchise. For years, players have been craving a follow-up that expands the alien ocean worlds we love, with better graphics, new creatures, and deeper story beats that build on the lore established in the first two games. I’ve spent hundreds of hours exploring 4546B in both the original Subnautica and Below Zero, so I’ve been keeping a close eye on every official update related to the next game’s platform plans, especially for PlayStation 5 users. This guide breaks down everything we know right now, no rumors or unsubstantiated leaks, just confirmed information from Unknown Worlds Entertainment.
Current Status: Is Subnautica 2 on PS5 Right Now?
Right now, the short answer is no, Subnautica 2 is not available on PS5, or any other platform for that matter. Unknown Worlds Entertainment first confirmed that a new mainline Subnautica game was in early development back in 2022, but they have not shared a firm release date or full platform list as of 2024. It’s important to note that many fans confuse Subnautica: Below Zero for Subnautica 2, but Below Zero is a standalone expansion, not the full sequel the studio is currently building. You won’t find any official listings for Subnautica 2 on the PlayStation Store at this time, so any third-party sites claiming to sell pre-orders for the PS5 version are not legitimate. That doesn’t mean a PS5 release is off the table, though, we have plenty of clues that point to PlayStation support for the new game when it launches.
What We Know About Subnautica 2 PS5 Support Plans
If you’ve been searching for answers about is Subnautica 2 on PS5, you’ve probably seen a lot of conflicting rumors online, so it’s best to stick to official updates. Unknown Worlds has a long history of bringing Subnautica games to PlayStation platforms, so it’s very likely that the sequel will land on PS5 shortly after its initial launch, if not on day one. The original Subnautica launched on PC first in 2018, then came to PS4, Xbox One, and Switch in the following year, and Below Zero followed a similar release pattern. The studio has repeatedly stated that they want to make the next Subnautica game accessible to as many players as possible, which almost always includes console support for both PlayStation and Xbox systems. The PS5’s hardware also makes it a perfect fit for the new game’s planned features. The console’s fast SSD will almost eliminate load times as you dive between different biomes, the 3D audio support will make the creaks of your sub and distant roars of leviathans feel more immersive than ever, and the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback will let you feel the rumble of underwater currents and impacts from hostile creatures. That said, there are a few factors that could delay the PS5 release compared to the PC version:
- Console certification requirements that add extra development time for platform-specific fixes
- Potential timed exclusivity deals with other platforms, though no such deals have been announced
- Prioritization of PC development to iron out bugs before porting to consoles
If you only have a PS5, you don’t need to worry about missing out entirely, you just might have to wait a few extra weeks or months after the PC launch to get your hands on the game.
Exclusive PS5 Features We Expect to See in Subnautica 2
One of the most common questions we see from players asking is Subnautica 2 on PS5 is whether the game will support crossplay with PC and Xbox players, and while that’s not confirmed yet, we do have a good idea of what platform-specific features to look forward to. Even though we don’t have official details about platform-specific features yet, we can make some educated guesses based on how other modern survival games perform on PS5. First, we’re almost guaranteed to see two graphics modes for the PS5 version: a performance mode that runs at 60 FPS with dynamic 4K resolution, and a quality mode that runs at native 4K / 30 FPS with enhanced ray tracing for water and lighting effects. Water rendering is one of the most resource-intensive parts of Subnautica’s gameplay, so the PS5’s GPU will be able to deliver far more realistic, shimmering ocean surfaces and light filtering through deep water than what was possible on last-gen consoles. Any PS5 version of the game will also support cloud saves, so you can pick up where you left off if you play on a friend’s console, or if you upgrade your own system down the line. We also expect to see custom DualSense features tailored to the game’s unique gameplay loops. For example, you might feel different levels of resistance in the adaptive triggers when you’re using your diving knife to cut through coral, or when you’re firing a harpoon at a hostile creature. The controller’s built-in speaker could also play small audio cues like your oxygen alarm, or the beep of your scanner when it finds a new resource, to make the experience feel more immersive. Some players are hoping for PSVR 2 support, too, though Unknown Worlds has not confirmed any virtual reality plans for the sequel at this point. If VR support does come, the PSVR 2’s eye tracking and haptic feedback would make underwater exploration feel incredibly lifelike, so it’s a feature many in the community are asking for.
What You Can Do While You Wait for Subnautica 2 on PS5
If you’re itching for more underwater survival action on your PS5 right now, there are plenty of ways to pass the time until the sequel launches. First, if you haven’t played the original Subnautica or Below Zero yet, both are available on PS5 with free upgrades for anyone who owned the PS4 versions. The PS5 versions run at 60 FPS with improved graphics, so they feel far smoother than the last-gen releases, and they’re a great way to catch up on the franchise’s lore before the new game comes out. You can also join the official Subnautica community forums or Discord server to get real-time updates directly from the dev team, and even share your own ideas for features you want to see in the sequel. Many fans share custom concept art, creature design ideas, and story theories there, so it’s a fun way to stay engaged with the community while you wait. If you want to branch out beyond Subnautica, there are a handful of other great underwater survival games on PS5 right now that scratch the same itch. Games like No Man’s Sky have huge underwater biomes to explore, with base building and creature taming mechanics that feel very similar to Subnautica, and even horror-focused underwater games like Iron Lung are fun if you want a scarier take on deep sea exploration. Just make sure you don’t fall for any fake release date rumors you see on social media. The only reliable source for Subnautica 2 news is Unknown Worlds’ official channels, so always check there first before getting excited about a supposed release date.
At the end of the day, we don’t have an exact date for when Subnautica 2 will launch, but all signs point to a PS5 release coming within the next couple of years, once the dev team is happy with the state of the game. Rushing a release would only lead to a buggy, unpolished experience that no one wants, so it’s better to wait for the studio to take all the time they need to build the best possible sequel. If you’ve been asking is Subnautica 2 on PS5, you’ll be the first to know as soon as official platform plans are announced, as long as you follow official channels for updates. For now, go back to exploring 4546B, try out some new base builds, and get ready for the next big underwater adventure whenever it arrives.
