Original Subnautica Hits All-Time Player Peak After Subnautica 2 Launch
The original Subnautica has now outdrawn its own launch-day peak, driven by a combination of sequel curiosity, a deep discount, and players waiting for the next Subnautica 2 update.
Key Facts
- The original Subnautica reached 51,446 concurrent players on Steam around May 25, surpassing its previous record of 51,156 from January 2018.
- Subnautica 2 entered early access on May 15, attracting over 460,000 concurrent players and generating an estimated $100 million in its first week.
- A 75% discount on the original Subnautica, the lowest price ever, ran alongside the sequel's launch.
- The original game's player count doubled from about 20,000 to over 51,000 in roughly two weeks after the sequel's release and discount.
Reporting from 1 source: Automaton.
The original Subnautica reached a new all-time high of 51,446 concurrent players on Steam around May 25, surpassing its previous record of 51,156 set at the 2018 full release. The surge follows the May 15 early access launch of Subnautica 2, which attracted over 460,000 players and generated an estimated $100 million in its first week. A 75% discount on the original game also contributed to the spike.
Unknown Worlds' original Subnautica recorded 51,446 concurrent players on Steam around May 25, according to SteamDB, beating the 51,156 peak it set at its January 2018 full release. The new high comes ten days after Subnautica 2 entered early access on May 15, drawing more than 460,000 concurrent players and an estimated $100 million in first-week revenue. A 75% discount on Steam-the lowest price ever for the original-also ran alongside the sequel's launch. The player count had been hovering around 20,000 just before the sale and sequel release, meaning the original more than doubled its audience in about two weeks. Some of that traffic likely comes from players who finished the early access content in Subnautica 2 and are revisiting the first game, or newcomers curious about the series' debut.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.