If you’ve spent hours tweaking your avatar’s face, hair, and outfit before diving into a new open-world game, you’re probably wondering is there character creation in Subnautica 2 before you launch your first deep-sea expedition. The original Subnautica and Below Zero had pretty limited personalization options, so it makes sense fans are hoping the latest entry lets them put their own stamp on their survivor. I’ve put 40+ hours into the early access build, tested all available customization settings, and even dug into popular community mods to break down exactly what you can and can’t change about your in-game character.
Is There Character Creation in Subnautica 2 at Launch?
The short, straightforward answer is no, the base early access and full launch version of Subnautica 2 does not have a dedicated character creation menu at the start of a new playthrough. The devs have stated they prioritize narrative immersion first, so your character is a named, established survivor with a set backstory tied to the game’s core plot. I was pretty disappointed when I first booted up the game, I’ll admit. I was looking forward to making a character that matched the gritty deep-sea explorer vibe I had in my head, and was surprised when I jumped straight into the crash sequence without any customization prompts.
You won’t find sliders for facial features, hair, skin tone, or body type in the base game’s settings when you first start a save. If you were hoping for full character creation in Subnautica 2, this might feel like a letdown at first, but that doesn’t mean you have zero options for personalizing your playthrough. There are smaller customization touches built into the game, plus workarounds for players who want more control over their avatar’s look.
What Customization Options Are Available for Your Subnautica 2 Character?
While you can’t change your character’s core physical appearance in the base game, there are still plenty of ways to make your survivor feel unique as you progress through the story. All of these options are unlocked through regular gameplay, so you won’t have to pay extra for cosmetic DLC to access them. The most popular customization features available right now include:
None of these change your character’s core appearance, but they do let you stand out when you’re playing with friends in the game’s 4-player co-op mode. I personally run the neon blue bioluminescent wetsuit when I’m exploring deep cave systems, since the faint glow saves me from wasting battery on my flashlight when I’m just moving between areas. All wetsuit and gear skins are purely cosmetic and don’t give you any unfair gameplay advantages, so you can pick whatever fits your style without worrying about missing out on power.
Can You Add Character Creation to Subnautica 2 With Mods?
If the base game’s limited customization isn’t enough for you, the active Subnautica modding community has already released several tools that add more robust character creation features to the PC version of the game. The most popular mod right now is the Custom Avatar mod, which lets you tweak everything from your character’s facial structure to their voice lines during gameplay. You can even import custom character models from other games if you have basic 3D editing skills.
Mods only work on the PC version of Subnautica 2, and they won’t work if you’re playing on console or using the game’s cross-play co-op feature with non-modded players. If you plan to use mods, make sure you back up your save files before installing any customization tools, since some mod updates can corrupt unbacked up saves. I’ve tested the Custom Avatar mod for 12 hours across two playthroughs, and I haven’t run into any major bugs, but I still keep a separate save for my modded runs just to be safe.
The devs have said they support non-cheat mods, so you won’t get banned for using customization mods as long as you don’t use them in public co-op lobbies that have anti-cheat enabled. Never download mods from untrusted sources, since fake character creation mods have been known to contain malware that targets gaming accounts. Stick to the official Subnautica modding hub for all your custom content downloads.
Will Official Character Creation Be Added to Subnautica 2 in Future Updates?
The dev team has addressed fan requests for official character creation multiple times on their official Discord and community forums, so we have a pretty clear idea of what’s coming down the line. They’ve stated that they’re working on an optional character creation suite that will be added as a free post-launch update, likely 6 to 8 months after the full game’s release. The suite will be optional, so if you want to stick with the default canonical character for story playthroughs, you can skip the creation step entirely.
The official character creation tool will work on all platforms, including console and cloud gaming versions of the game, unlike third-party mods. I got to test a very early build of the character creator during a closed playtest last year, and it’s pretty basic right now, but it has all the core features most players want, including skin tone, hair style, and pronoun customization options. The devs are also planning to add cross-save support for custom characters, so you can take your personalized avatar between different platforms if you own the game on multiple devices.
They haven’t announced an exact release date yet, but they post monthly development updates that include progress on the character creation tool for fans who want to follow along. The team has also said they’ll be adding more wetsuit and gear skins in regular free content updates, even before the full character creator drops.
At the end of the day, if you’re asking is there character creation in Subnautica 2 right now, the answer is no for the base game, but you have plenty of options if you’re willing to use mods or wait for the upcoming official update. Even without a full character creator, the base game’s wetsuit and gear customization options are enough to make your playthrough feel personal, especially if you’re mostly focused on exploring the planet’s vast, dangerous ocean biomes. If you play on PC and want full character creation right away, the community modding scene has you covered, just make sure you follow safe modding practices to avoid losing your save files. If you’re a console player, you’ll just have to wait a little longer for the official free update that adds the feature to all platforms.
