Summary
- Subnautica's developer teases its sequel by hiding screenshots in the game, generating excitement among fans for new content.
- Some Time Capsules in Subnautica now feature screenshots of creatures from Subnautica 2.
- Subnautica 2 is slated for a 2025 release and will feature co-op for up to four players while remaining single-player focused like previous games.
Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds has begun teasing its upcoming sequel by hiding screenshots in the 2018 open-world survival game. The indie title, which was in early access for two years before it launched to critical acclaim, ultimately won several awards and was nominated for even more. Subnautica's beautiful underwater world, engaging survival elements, and underlying mysteries appealed to gamers, who understandably have been clamoring for new content ever since.
In late 2023, it was confirmed that a direct sequel to Subnautica is in development and slated for a 2025 release. Subnautica 2 will follow a games-as-a-service model, though the developer clarified that this only refers to its plans for ongoing updates. The game will not include battle passes, subscriptions, or anything of the sort. It will, however, offer co-op for up to four players, a long-requested feature, though it will remain single-player focused like previous games in the popular series.
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Unknown Worlds has remained relatively quiet on the status of the upcoming game, though the developer had previously revealed that it would share info about its early access plans for Subnautica 2 sometime in 2024. In keeping with that, players have noticed that new Time Capsule entries have been stealthily added to the original game, featuring images of creatures that have never been seen before. These entries all have #PEEPERSRULE as part of their database descriptions. Moderators on a couple of Reddit threads about the discoveries have confirmed that they are screenshots of Subnautica 2. After the first was spotted, one moderator cryptically noted that “there may or may not be others to find.” At the time of writing, three new Time Capsule entries have been found.
What's a Time Capsule in Subnautica?
The Time Capsule in Subnautica is an endgame feature that allows players to leave a message, and a screenshot if desired, for other players. These entries can then be found in specific locations in the game world during other people’s playthroughs. Since the original Subnautica is a single-player game, the Time Capsule was particularly exciting because it gave players the opportunity to interact with others who were also exploring its intriguing underwater world and share their discoveries. Time Capsule entries are automatically saved to the player’s PDA and can be re-read at any time.
Though the upcoming sequel is called Subnautica 2, there is already a second title in the series, a spinoff game called Subnautica: Below Zero. Originally intended to be DLC for the first game, it ended up becoming its own beast. While Subnautica 2 was called a “sequel to the original IP” in a report by parent company Krafton, the game will take place sometime after the events of Below Zero on a completely new planet.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 92%
- Released
- January 23, 2018
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Gearbox Publishing
- Engine
- Unity
- Franchise
- Subnautica
- PC Release Date
- January 23, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
You have crash-landed on an alien ocean world, and the only way to go is down. Subnautica's oceans range from sun drenched shallow coral reefs to treacherous deep-sea trenches, lava fields, and bio-luminescent underwater rivers. Manage your oxygen supply as you explore kelp forests, plateaus, reefs, and winding cave systems. The water teems with life: Some of it helpful, much of it harmful.
After crash landing in your Life Pod, the clock is ticking to find water, food, and to develop the equipment you need to explore. Collect resources from the ocean around you. Craft knives, lights, diving gear, and personal water craft. Venture deeper and further form to find rarer resources, allowing you to craft more advanced items.
Build bases on the sea floor. Choose layouts and components, and manage hull-integrity as depth and pressure increase. Use your base to store resources, park vehicles, and replenish oxygen supplies as you explore the vast ocean.
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 30 Hours
