Unknown Worlds has announced that its open-world survival crafting game, Subnautica 2: Alien Waters, will receive its second Early Access update, adding several new features designed to enhance player communication and team collaboration in multiplayer mode. At the same time, the studio announced a $100,000 donation to The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organization dedicated to ocean cleaning.
This update focuses on enhancing the multiplayer experience by adding new systems to improve communication and mutual support during underwater exploration.
Proximity Voice Chat
Proximity voice chat is one of the core features of this update. This feature applies spatial audio based on distance to player communication: teammates who are closer will have clearer voices with more distinct directional cues; as the distance between players increases, the sound will naturally fade.
New Rescue System
The game will introduce a new rescue system—when a player's health is depleted, they won't die immediately but will enter a downed state. If a teammate can revive them within a limited time, the player can continue exploring. This mechanism enhances the tension of deep-sea survival while further emphasizing the importance of teamwork.
Enhanced Communication and Teamwork Experience
This update also improves player communication and collaboration in several ways. A new emote system allows players to signal teammates without using voice chat; players can now directly access teammates' inventories to transfer resources. Additionally, other multiplayer features have been further optimized, including throwable location markers, signaling systems, and base-building conveniences.
Supporting Ocean Conservation
The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and scaling technologies to remove plastic pollution from the world's oceans. As early as World Environment Day in 2019, Unknown Worlds donated a portion of the sales revenue from the original Subnautica to The Ocean Cleanup, and has continued to support ocean conservation efforts ever since.
Fernando Melo, Executive Producer at Unknown Worlds, stated: "Subnautica was born from our love for the ocean. Being able to continue our ocean conservation efforts, which began with the first game, through this donation to The Ocean Cleanup means a lot to us. We will continue to do our part to protect the ocean we have spent years bringing to life in our games."
Subnautica 2: Alien Waters is now available on Steam, Xbox (Series X|S consoles and PC), and the Epic Games Store. Players can find more information through the official website and social media channels.