Subnautica 2 Preps ‘Early Access 2.0’ With Its Scariest Region Yet

Subnautica 2’s first big update, dubbed “Early access 2.0,” will introduce what the developers call “one of our scariest regions we’ve ever done,” as reported by PC Gamer. The outlet succinctly summarized the announcement: “Spooky, dark, deep.”

GamesRadar+ mentions that the update will also “bring back one of the most requested player experiences” and promises to be “the scariest the game has been yet.” However, the reports don’t specify which feature is returning, so we won’t speculate.

This update looks pretty significant. Earlier coverage on the patch, Subnautica 2’s Next Update Adds New Region, Story, Frog Chassis, indicated a new region, fresh story content, and a new vehicle chassis. The “2.0” label suggests the studio views this as a major milestone rather than just a routine update.

The timing is crucial. IGN has posted its Early Access review of Subnautica 2, putting the game’s foundation under public scrutiny. A horror-themed content drop allows developers to respond to that initial round of feedback with new material.

The roadmap looks promising. Reports from Explosion reveal that Dave the Diver will get a free Subnautica 2 crossover DLC in 2027. This hints at a long support period for the sequel.

The Steam figures below are for the original Subnautica, not the sequel. We didn’t have any data for Subnautica 2 numbers. The original game still sets the standard for the sequel’s fan base to measure against.

By The Numbers (original Subnautica)

Release date	January 23, 2018
Metacritic score	83
Steam reviews	96% positive (210,137 reviews)
Steam price	$29.99
Current Steam players	2,416

Community Pulse

Overall sentiment from our data is mostly positive, though the sample size is small at just 10 signals. The Steam review text we have comes from the original game, not the sequel. One reviewer, who identified as new to survival games, shared: “Honestly I enjoyed it more than I thought… The world is full of beauty and color, and the base building can be creative.” Unfortunately, the review cuts off before any criticism, so we can’t tell what they found lacking.

What To Watch

• The release date and patch notes. The sources we checked don’t confirm when “Early access 2.0” will launch or the full details of the update.
• The returning feature. GamesRadar+ mentions it’s one of the most requested player experiences, but the developers haven’t specified what it is in the reports we’ve seen.
• Player response to the new region. If it truly lives up to the “scariest yet” claim, Steam reviews and player counts after launch will indicate whether horror content keeps players coming back.