Subnautica 2 Launches Into Early Access: Release Times, Size, Price, and Everything Else You Need to Know

Subnautica 2 is officially entering Early Access on May 14, 2026. It is the first full sequel to the original 2018 Subnautica, developed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment, and has been one of the most anticipated survival games in recent memory.

Image: Subnautica 2 Early Access (via Unknown Worlds)

A Rocky Road to Launch

The road to Early Access for Subnautica 2 has been anything but smooth. Last year, publisher Krafton made headlines by firing Unknown Worlds’ top leadership, including CEO Ted Gill and co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, while pushing the game’s Early Access launch from 2025 to 2026.

The ousted executives claimed Krafton did this to dodge a roughly $250 million bonus promised during the studio’s 2021 acquisition if certain revenue targets were met by the end of 2025, insisting the game was already ready to go.

Krafton argued the leaders had underperformed, abandoned responsibilities, and that the delay was necessary for quality and playtesting, appointing new leadership like Steve Papoutsis and accusing the former team of stealing documents.

The feud spiraled into lawsuits, countersuits, and even allegations that Krafton consulted ChatGPT for crisis advice.

In March, the Delaware Court of Chancery sided firmly with Unknown Worlds, reinstating Ted Gill as CEO, returning control of the Early Access schedule to him, and extending the earnout period by at least nine months, to September 15, 2026, giving more time to potentially secure the bonus.

The game is now effectively self-published by Unknown Worlds, with some level of Krafton involvement still in the picture.

Despite all the behind-the-scenes drama, the community's excitement never really faded. The game has surpassed 5 million Steam wishlists, which is a strong signal that players are genuinely eager to get their hands on it.

What Is Subnautica 2 Actually About?

Subnautica 2 places you as a Pioneer fleeing conflict on Earth. The Alterra Corporation offers you a fresh start aboard a colony ship called the CICADA. Things go sideways quickly. The ship's AI insists the mission must continue, even as everything falls apart around you. You end up stranded on a completely new alien moon, far from the world of 4546B from the previous games.

This is a clean break from the past. No returning characters, no familiar creatures, no revisited locations. Everything is new, from the biomes to the ruins to the threats lurking in the depths. The story will continue to grow and expand throughout the Early Access period.

The gameplay still revolves around exploration, base-building, crafting, resource gathering, and survival in a beautiful but dangerous alien ocean. The big additions this time include optional co-op multiplayer for up to four players, a new Tadpole submersible for traversal, and a DNA modification system for unlocking abilities.

Co-op supports up to four players online, with no PvP. The game is designed primarily as a single-player experience, but multiplayer has been built in from the ground up rather than tacked on later. You can pick from a set of pre-designed characters, with more customization options planned for future updates.

When Can You Play?

Subnautica 2 launches into Early Access on May 14 at 8 am Pacific Time. Unlike some releases that stagger by region, this one goes live at the same time globally. Here are the launch times across different time zones:

• 8:00 AM PDT (Los Angeles)

• 9:00 AM CST (Mexico City)

• 11:00 AM EDT (New York)

• 12:00 PM BRT (Sao Paulo)

• 4:00 PM GMT (London)

• 5:00 PM CEST (Berlin / Paris)

• 7:00 PM GST (Dubai)

• 11:00 PM CST (Beijing)

• 12:00 AM KST, May 15 (Seoul)

• 12:00 AM JST, May 15 (Tokyo)

• 1:00 AM AEST, May 15 (Sydney)

If you have already purchased the game on Steam, you can preload it now.

Price, Platforms, and Availability

The game launches at the following prices:

• $29.99 (USD)

• £25.99 (GBP)

• 29.99 EUR

The price is expected to go up after the Early Access period ends and the game reaches its full 1.0 release. There is also a Deep Ocean Bundle available with a discount for those who want to grab more at once.

Notably, Unknown Worlds has confirmed there are no microtransactions, battle passes, loot boxes, or subscription models planned.

In terms of platforms, Early Access is available on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Windows Store, as well as on Xbox Series X and Series S. It is also available day one on Xbox Game Pass, covering both Ultimate and PC Game Pass tiers.

PlayStation and Nintendo Switch versions are not part of the Early Access rollout.

File Size

• Steam PC download: approximately 12.9 GB

• Installed size on PC: approximately 14.5 to 14.6 GB

• Xbox Series X and Series S / Game Pass: approximately 14.3 GB

PC System Requirements

Minimum specs:

• OS: Windows 10 or 11

• Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600

• RAM: 12 GB

• Graphics: GeForce GTX 1660 6GB or RX 5500 XT 6GB

• DirectX: Version 12

• Storage: 50 GB available space

Recommended specs:

• OS: Windows 11

• Processor: Intel Core i7-13700 or AMD Ryzen 7 7700X

• RAM: 16 GB

• Graphics: GeForce RTX 3070 8GB or RX 6700 XT 8GB

• DirectX: Version 12

• Storage: 50 GB available space

The game is built in Unreal Engine 5, a significant upgrade from the Unity-based engine used in the previous two titles.