← all stories
Subnautica 2
Subnautica 2 is in early access, having sold over 4 million copies since its May 2026 launch. The legal dispute between Krafton and Unknown Worlds has been settled, and CEO Ted Gill has stepped down.
Synthesized from 3
Yomimono stories · updated
17h ago
Subnautica 2 entered early access on May 15, 2026, and quickly drew a large audience. The game attracted over 460,000 players in its first week, generating an estimated $100 million in revenue. The launch also drove a surge in the original Subnautica, which hit a new all-time concurrent player peak of 51,446 on Steam around May 25, surpassing its 2018 record.
Developer Unknown Worlds released a development roadmap on June 21, outlining the first months of early access. The period is expected to last 2 to 3 years. Version 1.1 will focus on quality-of-life improvements, version 1.2 will address cooperative online multiplayer requests, and later updates will add new biomes and story content. A feedback voting page was also opened to incorporate community input.
On July 2, Krafton and Unknown Worlds announced they had fully settled a legal dispute over a $250 million performance bonus. Under the settlement, bonuses will be paid to all employees, and CEO Ted Gill will step down amicably. The game has sold over 4 million copies since its early access launch.
Key facts
- Early access launch date
- May 15, 2026 ↗
- Early access duration
- Expected to last 2 to 3 years ↗
- Roadmap details
- Version 1.1 for quality-of-life, version 1.2 for cooperative multiplayer, later versions for new biomes and story ↗
- First-week player count
- Over 460,000 players ↗
- First-week revenue estimate
- $100 million ↗
- Original Subnautica all-time player peak
- 51,446 concurrent players on Steam ↗
- Lawsuit settlement
- Krafton and Unknown Worlds settled; bonuses paid to all employees; CEO Ted Gill steps down ↗
- Sales since early access launch
- Over 4 million copies ↗
Timeline
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Noted
- supports co-op for up to four players · 2026-10-08
- Noted
- one-third familiar feel, one-third modern improvements, and one-third new ambition · 2026-08-28
- Noted
- Early development leaned too heavily into new elements, causing 'Sequelitis,' a wavering development axis driven by conflicting desires to make the game different, bigger, and familiar. · 2026-08-28
- Noted
- The session reveals how the team discarded radical prototypes, like a fully simulated ecosystem and a multiplayer 'Void Expeditions' mode, to keep the sequel's identity intact while still allowing for evolution. · 2026-08-28
- Noted
- on Steam it holds a 'Very Positive' rating from over 113,700 user reviews, 91% of which are positive · 2026-08-02
- Announced
- development guideline 'Rule of Thirds' detailed (gamescom 2026) · 2026-08-28
- Announced
- development roadmap · 2026-06-21
- Release
- game · 2026-05-15 · 2026-06-21
- Release
- game · May 15, 2026 · worldwide · 2026-05-27
Connections
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/subnautica-2.
CC BY 4.0.
Claim activity
When a claim about Subnautica 2 was confirmed, debunked, or disputed against
open-web sources. The record stays even after a claim drops off the facts list.
- Confirmed game May 15, 2026 worldwide Sep 26 · source
- Disputed game May 15, 2026 worldwide May 28 · source
All coverage
17h ago
MINTROCKET announced the final Dave the Diver DLC during the Triple-i Initiative showcase streamed on October 9. The expansion is a collaboration with Subnautica 2, and it is scheduled to launch in early 2027. In the DLC, protagonist Dave travels through a portal to the alien planet from Subnautica 2. Footage shown during the stream had Dave collecting underwater materials, catching fish, and meeting a Leviathan. Subnautica 2 is the next entry in the Subnautica survival series and supports co-op for up to four players. Dave the Diver mixes daytime ocean diving to catch fish with nighttime sushi restaurant management. Its worldwide cumulative sales passed 10 million copies in September 2026, and it entered early access on Steam in October 2022 before a full release in June 2023. The collaboration DLC will be available on Steam, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Aug 28
At gamescom 2026, Subnautica 2 creative director Anthony Gallegos detailed the team's 'Rule of Thirds' development guideline: one-third familiar feel, one-third modern improvements, and one-third new ambition. Early development leaned too heavily into new elements, causing 'Sequelitis,' a wavering development axis driven by conflicting desires to make the game different, bigger, and familiar.
Aug 2
KRAFTON reported its consolidated results for the second quarter of 2026 on July 29, with sales of 1.2902 trillion won (about 147.86 billion yen), up 94.9% year-on-year, and operating profit of about 47.09 billion yen, up 67.0%. Both figures set records for a second quarter. The PC platform led growth, with sales up 155.1% year-on-year, driven by the PUBG IP and Subnautica 2, which entered early access in May 2026. Subnautica 2 surpassed 5 million cumulative sales in 22 days since early access launch, and on Steam it holds a 'Very Positive' rating from over 113,700 user reviews, 91% of which are positive. PUBG franchise sales rose 25% year-on-year in Q2, with modes like Xeno Point and PAYDAY improving user engagement. For the second half of 2026, KRAFTON plans to expand collaborations with global animation IPs, following automotive and K-POP brands. The company also announced it will exhibit five new titles targeting release by 2027 at gamescom 2026 in August, including an unannounced PUBG IP project, NO LAW, Project ZETA, Age Twisters, and TARAE: The Unbound.
Jul 2
Krafton and Unknown Worlds Entertainment have fully settled their legal dispute over a $250 million bonus. Under the settlement, bonuses will be paid to all employees, and CEO Ted Gill will step down amicably. The game has sold over 4 million copies since its early access launch in May 2026.
Jun 21
Developer Unknown Worlds has released the development roadmap for Subnautica 2, which entered early access on May 15. The early access period is expected to last 2 to 3 years. The roadmap covers the first few months, with version 1.1 focused on quality-of-life improvements, version 1.2 addressing cooperative online multiplayer requests, and later versions adding new biomes and story content. A feedback voting page has also been opened.
May 27
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.