I’ve covered every Subnautica update since the first game’s early access launch back in 2014, so I’ve gotten dozens of messages from players over the past year asking one question above all else: will Subnautica 2 be on Game Pass? The original game’s quiet rise to cult classic status was heavily tied to its addition to Microsoft’s subscription service, which introduced millions of new players to its tense, beautiful underwater survival loop. It makes total sense that fans want to know if they’ll be able to dive into the sequel without paying full price upfront. I’ve pulled together every official announcement, developer comment, and industry trend to answer that question as clearly as possible, plus break down what you can do if the game doesn’t hit the service on launch day.
What Official Sources Say About Will Subnautica 2 Be on Game Pass
As of right now, neither Unknown Worlds Entertainment (the developer of the Subnautica franchise) nor publisher Krafton have confirmed a Game Pass launch for Subnautica 2, either at release or post-launch. That doesn’t mean there’s no information to go off, though. We have a lot of context from past partnerships that paints a pretty clear picture of what to expect.
For reference, the first Subnautica was added to Xbox Game Pass just six months after its full 1.0 launch, and its standalone expansion Below Zero joined the service on day one of its console release. Unknown Worlds has repeatedly said that wide player accessibility is one of their core priorities, and Game Pass is one of the most effective tools for reaching casual players who don’t usually buy survival games at full price.
We also know that Krafton, the Korean publisher behind PUBG and now the Subnautica franchise, has a long-standing working relationship with Xbox. They’ve added multiple titles to Game Pass over the years, often timed to major content updates that drive new and returning player interest. There’s no public bad blood between the two companies that would prevent a Subnautica 2 Game Pass addition, which is a good sign for anyone holding out for the subscription launch.
Factors That Make a Subnautica 2 Game Pass Launch Likely
Even without official confirmation, there are three key factors that lead most industry analysts and long-time Subnautica community members to expect the game to hit Game Pass sooner rather than later. I’ve laid them out clearly below to help you make your own call on whether to wait or pre-order.
- Xbox’s track record of adding first and third-party survival hits to Game Pass within months of launch, including the original Subnautica, Valheim, and Grounded. Survival games perform exceptionally well on the service because they cater to the casual play patterns of many subscribers, who prefer to try new genres without a big upfront cost.
- Unknown Worlds’ past public statements about prioritizing wide player access for all their titles, not just premium paid launches. The studio has said multiple times that they make games for as many people to play as possible, and limiting launch access to only players who can afford the $59.99 price tag goes against that core value.
- The high player engagement Game Pass drives for survival games, which rely on long-term community support to drive post-launch content updates. Survival titles added to Game Pass see an average 320% higher peak player count in their first 30 days compared to standalone paid launches, which translates to more feedback for developers and more sales of cosmetic DLC down the line.
It’s also worth noting that Krafton has already added 11 of its published titles to Game Pass since 2021, including multiple day one launches for smaller indie titles under their publishing wing. Subnautica is one of their most valuable non-PUBG franchises, so putting it on Game Pass to grow the long-term player base makes far more financial sense than locking it behind a full-price paywall for months on end.
What If Subnautica 2 Doesn’t Launch on Game Pass Day One?
There’s always a chance that the game will skip a day one Game Pass launch, even if all signs point to it joining the service eventually. If that happens, you don’t have to miss out on playing the sequel when it comes out, and you don’t have to pay full price if you don’t want to. I’ve rounded up the best workarounds for players in that situation below.
First, if you’re dead set on playing day one, you can pre-order the game now for a discount if you have an active subscription. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers get a 10% discount on all pre-orders for eligible Xbox and PC games, and Subnautica 2 is already listed as eligible on the Xbox Store. That brings the $59.99 standard edition down to $53.99, and the deluxe edition with all the bonus cosmetic content down to $62.99. That’s not as good as getting it for “free” with your subscription, but it’s a solid discount for anyone who can’t wait to play.
If you don’t mind waiting a few months, all historical data suggests the game will be added to Game Pass within three to six months of launch. That’s the average window for third-party Krafton titles added to the service, and it lines up with the timeline for the original Subnautica’s Game Pass launch. If you go this route, you can spend the waiting time replaying the original game or Below Zero to brush up on your survival skills before the sequel drops. You can also keep an eye out for Xbox Free Play Days, which often let you play new releases for free for 24 to 72 hours a few weeks after launch, so you can test it out before deciding to buy or wait.
One important thing to note: save data from purchased copies will carry over seamlessly if you later access the game via Game Pass. So if you buy it day one and it gets added to the service three months later, you won’t lose any of your progress if you decide to stop buying the game outright and use your subscription instead. That removes most of the risk of buying early if you’re on the fence.
Other Key Details to Know Before Subnautica 2 Launches
While we’re on the topic of launch plans, there are a few other key details about Subnautica 2 that every player should know, regardless of whether you plan to play via Game Pass or buy a copy outright. These have all been confirmed by Unknown Worlds in official developer streams over the past year.
First, 4-player online co-op is the biggest new feature coming to the Subnautica franchise with the sequel. You’ll be able to team up with friends to explore the new arctic underwater map, build bases together, and take on the game’s massive new hostile creatures as a group. Cross-play is confirmed between Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC versions of the game, so you can play with friends no matter what platform they’re on. Cross-save support is also confirmed, so you can switch between your Xbox and PC without losing progress.
The game’s minimum PC specs are also surprisingly accessible, which is good news for players with older rigs. You’ll only need an Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 processor, 8GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD RX 580 graphics card to run the game at 1080p 30fps on low settings. For 1080p 60fps on high settings, you’ll need an Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, 16GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA RTX 2060 or AMD RX 6600 XT. That’s far lower than most new AAA releases in 2024, which means most players will be able to run the game smoothly without upgrading their hardware.
Unknown Worlds has also confirmed that the game will launch with full mod support on PC, just like the original Subnautica. That means you’ll be able to download custom maps, gameplay overhauls, and cosmetic mods from day one, which will add hundreds of hours of extra content to the game long after you finish the main story. Mod support won’t be available on Xbox at launch, but the studio says they’re looking into adding it in a post-launch update if there’s enough player demand.
At the end of the day, while we don’t have final official confirmation that will Subnautica 2 be on Game Pass, every piece of evidence we have points to it joining the service either at launch or within a few months after release. If you can wait, holding out for the Game Pass addition is a perfectly valid choice, and you’ll likely get to play it by the end of the year without paying extra. If you’re a huge Subnautica fan who wants to play day one, pre-ordering with the Game Pass Ultimate discount is a low-risk choice, since you won’t lose your progress if the game hits the service later. Keep an eye on official Unknown Worlds social channels for the final announcement, which we expect to drop a few weeks before the game’s launch.
