Subnautica 2 Developer Discusses Story Length, Confirms Weapon Removal, and Expected Release This Year

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The long-awaited sequel to the 2018 hit, Subnautica 2, is set to enter Early Access late this year, and Unknown Worlds has decided to answer several questions that arose from the latest dev vlog. In a recent Discord Q&A, Lead Designer Anthony Gallegos addressed concerns about the 15-hour story, the removal of weapons, and the release plan.

The original Subnautica captivated players with its ocean world and sci-fi story. Subnautica 2 takes you to a new planet with diverse biomes, huge Leviathans, and a co-op mode for up to four players. Some fans were concerned that a 15-hour story is too short, but Gallegos clarified that this refers only to the narrative, while exploration, crafting, and base building provide hours of fun, much like the first game, whose six-hour story lasted a very long time.

The decision to remove weapons, including the knife, sparked discussion. Gallegos confirmed that Subnautica 2 will have no weapons, only collection tools, and that Leviathans will not be killable. He believes that killing predators is “boring” and diminishes the atmosphere of fear, so players will have to avoid or interact with these colossal creatures, including the largest Leviathan yet.

Early Access for Subnautica 2 begins on PC (Steam, Epic Games, Microsoft Store) and Xbox Series X/S via Game Preview and Game Pass, with two to three years of updates that will add biomes, creatures, and story based on player feedback.