Unknown Worlds Entertainment has announced that Subnautica 2 will receive its major 1.2 update, the "Companion System," on August 19, 2026. This update marks the first major version since the game entered Early Access on May 14 to focus comprehensively on cooperative multiplayer gameplay, aiming to deliver a more immersive and convenient deep-sea exploration experience.
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The "Companion System" update brings several substantial improvements to cooperative gameplay. The most anticipated feature, proximity voice chat, will be officially implemented—teammates' voices will vary with distance, becoming clear when close and gradually turning into static-filled radio effects as they move away, until disappearing completely, greatly enhancing the immersion and tension of exploration.
Multiplayer interaction has also become smoother and more natural. The new version adds a direct item trading system, allowing players to open each other's inventories to transfer items directly, eliminating the cumbersome process of "dropping items on the ground and picking them up." Additionally, a teammate rescue mechanic allows players who are knocked down to have a brief rescue window, during which teammates can quickly swim over and share oxygen to revive them.
In terms of social expression, the update adds a player emote system, including actions like thumbs up, thumbs down, clapping, and fist pumping, providing fun options for silent underwater communication. Character customization content has also been expanded, adding two new playable characters, "Elegant" and "Heroic," along with several new wetsuit color schemes.
This update also introduces the Tracker Tag, a versatile item: players can place it at specific locations or store it in a locker to turn the locker into a beacon. If a player dies while carrying a Tracker Tag, the range of their death marker signal will be significantly expanded, making it easier for teammates to recover lost items.
Additionally, the HUD interface has been optimized—icons default to a smaller size when not directly looked at and gradually enlarge as the player's view turns toward them, significantly improving information readability.
The "Companion System" is the second major update following July's "Adaptive Measures" update. The developers also teased部分内容 of the upcoming Early Access 2.0 version, including new vehicles, new areas, and encounters with the "Collector Leviathan," expected to launch later this year.
The full patch notes for Subnautica 2 version 1.2 will be released alongside the update on August 19.