If you’ve spent dozens of hours navigating Subnautica’s alien oceans in your trusty Cyclops submarine, you’re probably asking one question more than any other as we wait for the next game: will there be a Cyclops in Subnautica 2? For many long-time fans, the Cyclops isn’t just a vehicle—it’s a mobile base, a safe haven from leviathans, and a core part of what made the first game feel so immersive. We’ve dug through every official dev update, community leak, and lore hint to bring you the most accurate answer possible, plus what we might get if the classic Cyclops doesn’t make a return.
Why the Cyclops Is Such a Beloved Subnautica Staple
It’s hard to overstate how much the Cyclops changed the original Subnautica gameplay loop. Before you build it, you’re tied to shallow waters and small, fixed bases that force you to limit how far you can explore. Once you launch your Cyclops, you can take storage, crafting stations, even a grow bed with you to the deepest, most dangerous parts of Planet 4546B. Many players have shared stories of hiding in the Cyclops’ engine room while a Reaper Leviathan slams into the hull, which is one of the most iconic moments in the entire franchise. You can even install a docking bay for smaller exploration vehicles like the Seamoth or Prawn Suit, so you never have to leave your mobile home base behind. You can also customize it with decals, upgrade modules for speed and depth, and decorate the interior to feel like a real home away from home. It’s no wonder so many fans want to see it come back in the next game.
Will There Be a Cyclops in Subnautica 2? Official Dev Hints
So far, Unknown Worlds has not officially confirmed that the original Cyclops will appear in Subnautica 2, but they’ve dropped plenty of hints that point to similar large-scale submarine vehicles being part of the game. Back in a 2023 community Q&A, lead designer Charlie Cleveland noted that the team wanted to “double down on mobile base gameplay” for the next installment, which is a direct nod to the role the Cyclops filled in the first game. Devs have also shared concept art of a large, cylindrical submarine with multiple interior compartments that looks extremely similar to the original Cyclops, just with a more modern, icy-environment friendly design. That said, they’ve also noted that they want to make all new vehicles feel tied to the new planet’s unique challenges, so even if we get a Cyclops equivalent, it won’t just be a copy-paste of the original. They’ve also mentioned that they’re listening closely to fan feedback about the Cyclops, so demand from the community could easily make the original design a playable option, maybe even as a post-launch update.
What a New Cyclops Could Look Like in Subnautica 2
If the Cyclops does make a return, it will almost certainly have new features tailored to the new game’s setting, which is rumored to take place on a frozen ocean planet with thicker ice, stronger underwater currents, and new, more aggressive leviathan class creatures. The original Cyclops’ depth limit of 1700 meters was a big constraint for late-game exploration, so a new version would likely have a higher base depth limit right out of the gate. We’ve put together the most likely upgrades we could see based on dev teases:
Many fans are also hoping for quality of life changes that fix small frustrations with the original Cyclops, like tighter turning radius, better camera visibility when docking the Seamoth, and more storage slots for long exploration trips. Devs have already confirmed that they’re reworking vehicle controls to feel more responsive, so these small changes are almost guaranteed if the Cyclops returns.
What We’ll Get If the Original Cyclops Doesn’t Return
There’s always a chance that the devs will decide to retire the original Cyclops design to make room for entirely new vehicles that fit the new planet’s setting better. That doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck with only small, short-range subs, though. Leaked gameplay footage from early playtests has shown a massive, modular submarine that you can build piece by piece, adding new compartments for storage, crafting, or even crew quarters if the game’s rumored multiplayer mode launches. This modular sub would fill the exact same role as the Cyclops, but give you far more customization options to tailor your mobile base to your playstyle. Many fans have already shared their own custom Cyclops design concepts for the new icy setting, which devs have publicly praised on social media. If you prefer the classic Cyclops design, the modding community will almost certainly create a mod to add it to the game within a few months of launch, as long as the game supports user-generated content, which devs have already confirmed it will. So even if it’s not in the base game, you’ll still be able to cruise around the new ocean in your favorite classic sub if you want to.
At the end of the day, we won’t have a definite answer to will there be a Cyclops in Subnautica 2 until the devs make an official announcement closer to launch. All signs point to us getting either the classic Cyclops or a very similar large mobile submarine that fills the same beloved role, so you don’t have to worry about being tied to fixed bases in the next game. If you want to increase the chances of the classic Cyclops making an appearance, you can share your feedback in the official Subnautica community Discord, where devs regularly read fan suggestions.
