Subnautica 2 is unleashing new oceanic leviathans, and it's coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one

What you need to know

• During the October 2024 Xbox Partner Preview, developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment and publisher Krafton revealed Subnautica 2. 
• As a full sequel to the original game, Subnautica 2 is bringing co-op support to the underwater survival experience, meaning players can tackle the alien ocean together or with a friend. 
• Subnautica 2 is slated to launch across Xbox Series X|S and Windows via Game Preview and early access at some point in 2025. 
• Subnautica 2 will also be included day one in Xbox Game Pass.

The deep dark sea is calling. 

We got a first look at Subnautica 2 from developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment and publisher Krafton during the October 2024 Xbox Partner Preview. There isn't a lot to go on, but as you'd expect, players are once again stranded in an alien ocean, with darkness and leviathans all around them. This time though, you'll be able to play with a friend with co-op support. You can take a look at the teaser trailer for Subnautica 2 in the video below:

Subnautica 2 - Official Teaser Trailer | Xbox Partner Preview October 2024 - YouTube

Watch On

Subnautica 2 is coming to early access and Game Preview at launch on Windows PC and Xbox Series X|S consoles, meaning the game will grow over time as the developers respond to feedback and polish new pieces of content. 

Subnautica 2 is also included in Xbox Game Pass at launch, adding to the list of first and third-party titles players Xbox players will be enjoying in 2025, alongside games like Playground's third-person RPG Fable and Remedy's Control co-op spinoff, FBC: Firebreak.

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An ocean of possibilities

The original Subnautica is technically almost a decade old, having first launched in early access all the way back in December 2014, though it wouldn't exit early access until nearly four years later in 2018. 

Subnautica was a success in the survival genre, reaching 5 million copies sold back in 2020. It'll be interesting to see how co-op support shakes up the formula, as a huge part of the original experience was the isolation and quiet as the player explored the ocean, listing for the sound of wildlife, benign and otherwise.

As someone that's fascinated by the deep (and thinks that we don't get enough underwater horror) I'm naturally curious to see what new kinds of leviathans will be unleashed in Subnautica 2. Hopefully we won't be waiting too long to find out.