Subnautica 2's Early Access Roadmap: Peering Into The Deep, No Solid Dates Required (Apparently)
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Unknown Worlds has revealed *Subnautica 2*'s Early Access roadmap, outlining initial quality-of-life improvements focusing on gameplay systems and player experience, followed by a significant co-op-centric update. While specific release dates remain elusive, the roadmap promises continuous bug fixes, optimisation, and eventually, major expansions introducing new regions, creatures, and story content.
Alright, mates, grab your rebreathers because Unknown Worlds just dropped the early-to-mid-term roadmap for *Subnautica 2*'s Early Access! And with over two million divers already having plunged into its aquatic abyss, you know there's a fair bit of buzz around what's next.
So, the folks at Unknown Worlds have given us a peek at their 'To Do List,' detailing what's coming down the pipe. Now, before you get your hopes up for calendar invites, let's just get this out of the way: they're 'unwilling to provide solid dates at this point.' Classic, eh? It's like asking a wizard for a precise arrival time for their next portal jump – it'll happen when it happens, probably with a few unexpected detours.
First up, we're looking at a wave of improvements designed to smooth out your deep-sea adventures. Think of it as a quality-of-life patch, but for a whole ecosystem. They're planning tweaks to the Biomods system, those unsettling blight encounters, wrecks gameplay (presumably making them more… wreck-y?), vehicle docking and fabrication, the PDA databank (because who doesn't love a well-organised digital encyclopedia?), and a priority system for voice logs. Plus, you can expect more passive Biomod slots, some changes to the storage cache (hallelujah!), and the much-requested ability to sprint. Because sometimes, a leisurely swim just isn't cutting it when a something-or-other is trying to eat your face.
Then, for those of you who reckon exploring the crushing depths is better with a buddy, the second update is all about co-op. We're talking HUD signals, a snazzier base builder tool, and a pinned recipes system. On top of that, there are additions to voice chat, emotes, player trading, player revive (because nobody likes being permanently fish food), and – *drumroll please* – unspecified 'additional customisations.' My inner digital wizard is already wondering what magical shenanigans those 'unspecified' bits will entail! Probably a hat that glows in the dark, eh?
Now, while all these specific updates are materialising like ancient alien tech, Unknown Worlds assures us there'll be 'ongoing improvements' in the background. That means the usual suspects: bug fixes, balance tuning, optimisation, and all those continuous adjustments that keep the game from spontaneously combusting. And a little further down the line, they're teasing 'major expansion updates.' This is where things get truly exciting, promising new regions, biomes, creatures (hopefully less bitey, but I'm not holding my breath), resources, tools, a new vehicle, and – wait for it – 'the next chapter of the story.'
As the studio puts it, they're 'working hard to put together some great quality-of-life fixes for our first update,' specifically to 'adjust and address some areas that need a little tweaking.' And for co-op fans, they've 'got some requested improvements and additions coming in our second update.' Sounds like they're listening to the digital whispers of the community, which is always a good sign in this wild Early Access landscape.
So, while we're not marking our calendars just yet (because, you know, no dates), it's good to see a plan for *Subnautica 2*. It's a bit like charting a course through an unknown ocean: you know your destination, you know the major waypoints, but the exact currents and leviathan encounters along the way are still a bit of a mystery. Fair dinkum, though, it sounds like we're in for some excellent new depths to explore, hopefully without too many unexpected reality-bending glitches. Fingers crossed!
*(Big thanks to Vikki Blake over at Eurogamer for the initial intel!)*
Tags: Subnautica 2, Early Access, Roadmap, Survival, Co-op
Original article: Eurogamer