It's hard to summarize in a few words the shock I felt when I first played Subnautica.
Vibrant colors suddenly turn dark and obscure; teeming with life yet bursting with deadly threats.
Emotionally speaking, an entire alien sea filled with either brightly colored or grimly terrifying new creatures, combined with exploring high-tech ruins of alien intelligent life, almost maximizes player curiosity and desire for exploration.
Rationally speaking, throwing players into a world entirely composed of water and aquatic life was an experience unmatched by any other survival game at the time.
Even now, this experience remains unique.
Perhaps no one can surpass them—except themselves, except Subnautica 2: Below Zero.
Subnautica 2: Below Zero shifts focus away from Planet 4546B, familiar to players from the previous two titles, toward a brand-new stage. Here lie new biomes and life, characters and stories unfamiliar to players, and new Leviathans with sharp teeth hiding in the dark deep sea.
And if you have been paying close attention to news revealed by Unknown Worlds during this period, you might already be filled with various surprises.
The highly requested multiplayer co-op mode from the previous two titles has been officially integrated, becoming a flagship feature at the launch of Subnautica 2: Below Zero. Players can finally explore the alien depths together without relying on less stable community mods. Additionally, the game features more advanced and modern color and lighting rendering, as well as more modular and customizable base building.
Although the game is still launching in "Early Access," the changes presented in Subnautica 2: Below Zero are already quite wonderful.
But do you know what's even better? As the most loyal fan of the "Subnautica" series, a Seamoth enthusiast, and Captain of the Cyclops, I had the honor of communicating with the lead designer of the "Subnautica" series and the father of the game.
We hope this interview meets most people's expectations. Below is the full transcript.
Q: This title chooses a new alien planet as its stage. What is its core design tone? Compared to Planet 4546B from previous titles, what is the most core experiential difference players can feel?
Anthony Gallegos:Without spoiling important plot points of the current story or future directions, I can't reveal too much. However, setting Subnautica 2: Below Zero on a new planet means we have the opportunity to tell the story of a new world, including its short-term history and long-term evolution.
I think many players fell in love with 4546B not only because of its creatures but also because of its connection to the Precursor civilization. Similarly, in Subnautica 2: Below Zero, we hope players can feel that the history of this new planet is closely linked to its biology, spanning a time scale far beyond human lifespan. Compared to the relationship between the Precursors and 4546B in the original, this title will dig deeper into the worldview and planetary legends.
If we talk about the most fundamental experiential changes, I think they are mainly reflected in two aspects. First is lighting performance. This title adopts a more realistic lighting system, with sharper atmospheric differences between dawn, dusk, and night. If you feared the night in the original, you will likely experience similar tension in Subnautica 2: Below Zero.
The second major change comes from the creature behavior system. Although this part will continue to be iterated and improved during the "Early Access" phase, we have currently implemented various creature behaviors closer to ecological logic, making the whole world appear more realistic and vibrant. For instance, some creatures hide in vegetation waiting to strike, others ram objects in the environment to display intimidation, and some even attack each other. These designs collectively shape a more lively ocean world.
Q: Currently, the official announcement states that "Early Access" begins in 2026. Is this release window locked? What complete core content will the launch version bring to players?
Anthony Gallegos:The release date is confirmed. We will officially launch the "Early Access" version on May 14, 2026. The launch content will include a large amount of core storyline and progression content, offering a substantial playtime. We have built a very solid foundational framework for the game, far more than just an "opening intro." Looking back at the previous two "Subnautica" titles, early access initially offered only a few hours or less of story content. This time, we place great importance on delivering a larger volume of story content in the launch version. Of course, the "Early Access" version will not present the complete storyline, and players cannot yet access all areas planned for the full release. Nevertheless, this will be the richest and most complete launch among all our studio's "Early Access" projects. I believe most players will be pleasantly surprised by the richness of the launch version content.
Q: The series introduces multiplayer for the first time, while the team emphasizes that single-player experience remains the cornerstone. How did you balance the cooperative fun of multiplayer with the iconic sense of deep-sea isolation from the original, avoiding dilution of the series' unique survival immersion?
Anthony Gallegos:The most direct answer is—co-op mode is optional. Unless you actively invite someone, no one will enter your game. In other words, if you choose multiplayer co-op, it means you accept that the experience of "being alone in the unknown deep sea" will be somewhat diminished. If you highly value this solitary atmosphere, I strongly recommend experiencing the game in single-player mode first.
Of course, even in multiplayer mode, I personally often still feel a considerable degree of isolation because the world itself is vast enough. Ultimately, it depends on the player's own choices. We never intended for multiplayer to be mandatory, so every system and function in the game is designed with single-player experience as the priority.
Q: This title confirms launch on PC and Xbox Series X|S and inclusion in Xbox Game Pass. Is there a shareable timeline for the PlayStation 5 platform release? Will cross-platform multiplayer functionality launch simultaneously?
Anthony Gallegos:Regarding future releases on other platforms, we currently have no information to disclose. But regarding cross-platform multiplayer, I can say very clearly: it will be supported at launch. We have conducted multiple rounds of cross-platform testing involving Xbox, Xbox ROG Ally handheld, PC, and Steam Deck. The overall experience is very smooth, allowing friends on different platforms to play together easily.
Q: This title announces a return to the silent protagonist and exploration-driven narrative style of the original. After the narrative attempts in Subnautica: Below Zero, what made you decide to return to the original's narrative logic?
Anthony Gallegos:I want to clarify one point first: we greatly love Subnautica: Below Zero and always recognize its value. It is an excellent work containing many great experience optimization designs that inspired us. Personally, I really like the characters Robin and Alan. But I also know that for some players, the narrative approach of Subnautica: Below Zero was controversial, as they felt it was too guided and over-explained, weakening the fun of active exploration and discovery.
Therefore, this is exactly what we hope to regain in Subnautica 2: Below Zero. We want players to truly feel that they are uncovering mysteries step by step with their own hands, rather than passively receiving a series of setting explanations. Of course, we still need to provide sufficient guidance to prevent many players from feeling excessive frustration due to getting lost, or even quitting the game directly. This is a very difficult balance to maintain, but I believe that with continuous player feedback during the "Early Access" phase, we can eventually adjust it to an ideal state.
Q: The officials clearly promised no microtransactions, no battle pass, and no loot boxes. So, whether in the "Early Access" phase or the full release, does the game's profit model rely solely on selling copies?
Anthony Gallegos:Currently, our entire focus is on making the game as good as possible and advancing development together with players until the 1.0 full release. That is our core goal. If other business model changes really happen in the future, that would be "big news" for me, and at least at this stage, such discussions are very distant, far from needing consideration.
We always believe that as a game company, the most important way to succeed is to deliver an excellent product during open development. We are not the type of company that abandons a project if it doesn't explode immediately in the early "Early Access" phase. We promise to implement our complete vision for this game into the 1.0 full release. Afterwards, like our previous works, we will continue to support the game with free content updates to drive new sales. In this regard, we are greatly inspired by No Man's Sky.
Q: This title's map scale will exceed the initial map of the original's full release. In a larger open world, how do you avoid player exploration fatigue while ensuring each area has irreplaceable exploration value?
Anthony Gallegos:I want to clarify one point first: the final map size for our 1.0 full release is not yet fully determined. It might be larger than Subnautica, and likely will be... but ultimately, we focus more on creating a map that truly serves the narrative and progression pace. If blindly enlarging the map for "marketing points" negatively impacts the overall vision, we absolutely won't do it. Because we clearly understand that players should not feel meaningless fatigue or boredom during exploration.
The reason we say "too tedious" is that different players have vastly different acceptance levels for "relatively low-guidance exploration." Some players greatly enjoy this experience, even wanting more of it; but others prefer the game to directly tell them what to do next. Therefore, in our world design, we use narrative clues and environmental design to naturally attract players to places we hope they discover, even if this guidance isn't precise down to task coordinates. For Subnautica, the most important point is making players feel that "discovery was accomplished by themselves," rather than simply following the task log. Doing this well will be a key focus of our continuous polishing during the "Early Access" phase.
Q: The "Early Access" phase of the original was key to the series' success. Is there a preliminary plan for this title's "Early Access" cycle? Compared to the original, what core differences will there be in the operational rhythm of this title's "Early Access" phase?
Anthony Gallegos:We currently plan for the game to remain in "Early Access" for 2 to 3 years. During this period, we will release a large amount of new content, with several major updates each year that significantly expand and change the world. These updates have longer production cycles because they usually add new craftable items, vehicles, creatures, and storylines.
As for the main differences in this "Early Access" operation compared to the past, I think there are two key points. First, we aim to avoid wiping saves—at least that is our goal. Second, we now have a more comprehensive tool system than before, enabling us to more effectively collect, analyze, and interpret player feedback and data to help us make the most impactful decisions. For example, we can more clearly see where players frequently die, helping us judge if certain designs have obvious issues. We certainly have our own clear initial vision, but we also genuinely hope players can have a substantial impact on game development. I believe our plans and tools this time allow players to participate more deeply than ever before.
Q: This title completely reworks the modular base building system. What was the core goal when designing this system? To balance high freedom with ease of use, what key trade-offs did the team make?
Anthony Gallegos:Actually, a significant portion of players almost exclusively play Creative Mode, a proportion higher than many imagine. Although story and progression systems remain very important for Subnautica 2: Below Zero, we also really wanted to create a building system that both Creative Mode and Survival Mode players could enjoy. And I believe our new "sculptural base building system" achieves this. With this system, players can build bases with far more expressiveness and personalization than traditional preset shapes. Whenever I thought we had seen its limits, players would refresh our understanding with their creativity. For those enthusiastic about base building, I believe this system will bring many surprises.
As for the real trade-offs, they mainly stem from development costs and time investment. Compared to more traditional, mature, and lower-risk building solutions, our "sculptural" system took a talented and dedicated team several years to polish to its ideal state. Many teams might not be willing to invest such significant resources, opting instead for more mature and easier-to-implement solutions. But I believe we made the right decision, and I hope you'll feel the same when you experience it yourself.
Q: You mentioned that the community is central to development, and previous closed tests brought much effective feedback. What community feedback mechanisms has the team established to ensure player voices truly reach the development team and even influence development decisions?
Anthony Gallegos:That's a great question. From launch through subsequent development stages, we have dedicated developers responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data and player feedback to help us make more effective decisions during the "Early Access" phase. Of course, we will stick to our vision for the game, but at the same time, we are very open to accepting player feedback.
Players can submit feedback through various community platforms, and in-game tools are also important channels for expressing opinions. Although we won't, and shouldn't, accept every piece of feedback verbatim, it remains very important for us to know your true feelings, as this information helps us judge direction and optimize content. Our statement of "making the best game together with players" is by no means empty talk.
Q: This title abolishes random resource drops, replacing them with specific veins for specific minerals, adds a scanner radar positioning module, and introduces non-integer resource计量 in inventory. What were the core considerations behind these changes? How do you avoid reducing the sense of unknown and surprise in deep-sea exploration?
Anthony Gallegos:Some of what you mentioned isn't quite accurate, but that's normal since you haven't truly accessed the game yet. When you check our dev logs, you'll see many game images from different development stages—unless we explicitly state that certain content is the final design for the official release, you shouldn't treat materials in dev logs as final drafts. A major challenge of open development is that we need to share a lot of work that is still being polished. For example, "non-integer resource quantities" was a design we once tried but later abandoned.
As for fixed mineral nodes, this was a conscious formal design choice. We found that player opinions on the previous random resource node mechanism were very divided, with much criticism. In our view, adopting a "what you see is what you get" resource presentation allows players to focus more on finding the resources they truly need, while also helping us establish clearer visual identification for each resource. In fact, I think even the original Subnautica better reflected this in later resource designs like Uranium, Lapis Lazuli, and Magnetite.
I still believe that this title retains enough mystery in terms of exploration; we just hope that "what resources look like" is no longer part of that mystery. We prefer players to focus their attention on the narrative puzzles and biological ecological mysteries of this new world.
Q: Deep-sea creatures are the soul of the series. This title reveals new Leviathan-class creatures and small marine ecosystems. When designing new alien ocean ecologies, what design principles do you value most? How do you balance the visual spectacle, ecological rationality, and gameplay interactivity of creatures?
Anthony Gallegos:Subnautica has never been a series emphasizing "absolute realism." We prefer to say it is a world with a realistic foundation but not completely bound by reality. For instance, we don't require players to drive small, slow submarines to reach the deepest depths, nor do we make players wear bulky deep-diving suits as in reality. We also don't restrict players from frequently entering and exiting vehicles just because opening hatches would let water in realistically. When necessary, we always prioritize usability and fun over "absolute realism."
At the same time, we believe that to make this world sufficiently "believable," we must make biology and ecological logic seem reasonable. Our concept designers and writers collaborate to create creatures that truly seem suited to live in this world. Of course, since this is an alien planet, we allow ourselves more fantasy space in creature design compared to an Earth background. Overall, if we think of an interesting gameplay interaction first, we prioritize implementing it. Then, art and writing work together to fit it into a coherent and defensible world logic. They excel at this.
Q: The series has a massive fan creation community. What measures will this title introduce to support and encourage player creations such as fan art, guides, and building creativity? Will high-quality player ideas be incorporated back into the game content?
Anthony Gallegos:We have always encouraged players to create their own fan content and share it with us on social media.
For the team, knowing that Subnautica has meant so much to so many people is itself a huge motivation and drive. Our recently launched "Dive Into the Legacy" video series aims to highlight this connection between the community and the work. We are deeply grateful to players for experiencing the game and providing critical feedback, but we also love seeing them share what they truly enjoy and cherish.
Currently, we do not have formal partnerships with guide authors or other more systematic fan creation teams. However, we certainly do not discourage such creations. If you wish to make guides to help other players or create videos analyzing the game's creature ecology, we welcome it. Honestly, we are fans of this type of content ourselves and continuously follow the vast amount of works created by our fans.
Q: This title reveals genetic modification abilities cut from previous works, and the vehicle system has undergone comprehensive upgrades. When designing these new gameplay elements, how do you ensure they bring fresh experiences to players without disrupting the core difficulty and immersion of deep-sea survival?
Anthony Gallegos:I wouldn't define it as "re-adding an old feature that was cut." The previous genetic modification system was quite different from our current design. The earlier version leaned more towards manipulating creature genes, whereas our current design focuses on modifying the player themselves. In fact, when I started researching this system, I didn't even know it was related to an early scrapped idea from the previous game. Sometimes, good ideas naturally reappear in different forms.
When considering how to adjust or expand existing systems, our core objectives are always twofold: responding to player feedback and evolving based on previous titles. For example, the Seamoth and its chassis system allow vehicles to have different functions. This design actually builds upon the Seamoth and Prawn Suit from previous games, absorbing the strengths of both while trying to avoid their most commonly criticized aspects. Our goal is not to simply replicate old features but to evolve upon them. The replaceable hull design of the Seamoth inherits the most valuable parts of the Prawn Suit while enabling handling similar to the Seamoth, without further bloating into what we call a "large submarine." Of course, we are also aware that many players highly value the experience of large vehicles like the Cyclops, so during the "Early Access" phase, we will also introduce a new vehicle with a unique positioning, similar in style to the Cyclops.
Q: Does the team have a preliminary plan for the content update roadmap during the "Early Access" phase? Approximately how frequently will major content updates be pushed? Will the direction of updates prioritize community votes and feedback?
Anthony Gallegos:We have indeed established a preliminary roadmap, but we are also aware that once the game is truly in the hands of millions of players, this plan will inevitably change. According to current planning, we will continue to release hotfix patches as needed, prioritizing issues that significantly impact the experience. Subsequently, we expect to roll out small to medium-sized updates approximately every 1 to 2 months, adding minor systems, system optimizations, or visual adjustments. As for truly major world-expansion updates, we anticipate releasing them several times a year. These updates will typically add multiple new biomes, along with fully配套 storylines, progression content, creatures, and vehicle designs. They have the longest development cycles, but they are often the most rewarding for both the team and the players.
Of course, with each update, we will also continue to polish already released content, making adjustments based on both player and internal feedback. A game in the "Early Access" phase cannot maintain 100% completion at all times, but we will refine it layer by layer, much like a painter adding details to a canvas, to make it increasingly complete.
Q: This title is developed using Unreal Engine 5. What is the greatest possibility this new engine brings to your design? To ensure a smooth deep-sea exploration experience, what was the biggest challenge encountered during technical implementation?
Anthony Gallegos:We chose Unreal Engine 5 for many reasons, one of the most significant being the higher level of visual fidelity it offers. I still consider Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero to be visually impressive titles, but Subnautica 2 indeed achieves a noticeable leap in visual quality. Our lighting effects are outstanding, and the higher-precision models along with richer environmental details make the entire world more immersive than ever before. In its final presentation, it might even feel like a project created by a team much larger than our actual size.
As for the biggest technical challenge, it actually isn't brought by the engine itself, but rather by multiplayer. Cooperative multiplayer makes all development work more complex, because all content must achieve stable, natural, and seamless synchronization between the host and clients. This is a very difficult and time-consuming challenge. Nevertheless, we remain firmly committed to continuously supporting this optional multiplayer gameplay throughout the entire game experience.
Q: The mod community gave the first game immense vitality. What official tools and permissions will this title provide for mod support? Compared to the first game, what qualitative improvements will there be in mod compatibility?
Anthony Gallegos:At this stage, our priority remains focused on making the game we want to create. We are not opposed to modders—on the contrary, we greatly appreciate these content creators—but currently, we have not dedicated specific resources to support mods. Right now, our entire focus is on ensuring the success of Subnautica 2's "Early Access" development. Once we gradually achieve the core vision of this title together with players, we will further evaluate how best to support the mod ecosystem in the future and extend the long-term activity of our player community.
Q: The series enjoys two distinctly different reputations among players: soothing ocean exploration and extreme deep-sea horror. How do you balance these two experiences in this title? Will you provide options for players with different tolerance levels to customize the intensity of horror/stress?
Anthony Gallegos:Custom game modes will be added gradually throughout the "Early Access" period. At the current stage, we are primarily offering basic Survival and Creative modes.
In the future, we hope to gradually provide more comprehensive and detailed options, allowing players with different preferences to maximize their enjoyment of Subnautica 2. For now, I believe our basic survival mode has achieved this balance well—it places players in relatively familiar environments that provide a sense of security, while simultaneously creating moments that are surprising, tense, or even frightening. We are not actively developing a "horror game," but we are very aware that placing players in a dark, unknown deep-sea world naturally leads their minds to imagine "what might happen next." With the addition of subsequent custom game options, I believe players will be able to adjust this tension up or down according to their preferences.
Q: For both veteran series players and newcomers, how will you balance the needs of these two groups in your operations and content planning? For instance, veterans may desire deep challenges, while newcomers may want a friendly entry barrier.
Anthony Gallegos:What we have built first is a survival mode aimed at players who are willing to accept the challenge of "self-directed exploration." We are well aware that elements such as world exploration, relatively low-guidance progression, and players setting and achieving their own goals are key to the success of the entire series. Although this design philosophy is not mainstream today, there are still many excellent examples proving that not all games need to hold players' hands to make them fall in love. Both Subnautica and Elden Ring demonstrate that as long as the challenge itself is worthwhile, players are willing to invest their effort. Our goal is to ensure that the exploration and discovery in Subnautica 2 are truly worth the challenges encountered during the process of figuring things out.
Of course, as time progresses, we will also add more custom game mode options. At that point, there is indeed a possibility of providing more guided experiences, but we will remain very cautious about this. Regarding the demands from a vocal minority of players for "more traditional tutorials and procedural guidance," we are currently somewhat reserved—because we believe that adjusting excessively in this direction might alienate our true core user base.
Q: From Subnautica to Subnautica: Below Zero and then to Subnautica 2, what do you consider the irreplaceable core soul of the "Subnautica" series? During the development of this title, how have you innovated around this core rather than deviating from it?
Anthony Gallegos:The core essence of Subnautica is to provide players with an underwater alien world they can explore freely. On this foundation, the entire experience is supported by a series of gameplay systems—these systems aim to reward and encourage exploration, rather than having players mechanically complete checklist-style objectives. Of course, many games excel at creating clear missions and objective systems, but applying this structure directly to "Subnautica" would deprive players of one of the most important joys in this series—personal discovery.
This is also why we often do not simply categorize Subnautica as a "survival game." In my view, Subnautica is more akin to an exploration-centric game supported by survival mechanics. In this series, exploration and discovery always come first.
Q: After the game's official release, does the team have long-term DLC content plans? Or will you continue to add new content to the game via free updates, similar to the first title?
Anthony Gallegos:We are very clear that we will follow the model of the first title. That is, after the official launch, we hope to continue supporting the game through free updates and attract new players over many years to come. We currently have no plans to sell additional gameplay content. Whether players purchase the game during the "Early Access" phase or after the 1.0 full release, we hope they will have long-term access to all content we release subsequently.
Q: What room for iteration have you reserved for gameplay systems during the "Early Access" phase? Will you adjust or even add core gameplay mechanics based on player feedback? Or is the core design framework already fully finalized, with "Early Access" serving only for content filling and detail polishing?
Anthony Gallegos:For "Early Access," nothing is off-limits for adjustment. If certain aspects of the experience don't perform well, we can rebalance any system in the game, modify world design, or even completely remove a mechanic that doesn't work. Of course, the reason we chose to launch "Early Access" in its current state is that we have considerable confidence in most of our current designs; we simply hope to continue refining it through player feedback.
Furthermore, after the initial "Early Access" launch, we still have ample room to adjust direction, reshape structures, or even implement significant corrections to the game based on player opinions. We will certainly uphold our core vision for the title, but if a major portion of the content does not meet expectations in its actual presentation, we will not hesitate to undertake a substantial overhaul.
Q: What is your vision for the long-term development of the "Subnautica" IP? How will the operation and community building of this title lay the foundation for the future of the entire IP?
Anthony Gallegos:We do not wish to become a studio that only makes "Subnautica" games, but at the same time, we do see significant long-term potential for this series. There are still many stories worth telling within the "Subnautica" universe, and numerous directions for spin-off works. I believe Unknown Worlds has the capability to continue driving this series forward for many years to come—but the prerequisite is that we must first do justice to Subnautica 2.
At the same time, I want to avoid making every title overly dependent on its predecessors to the point where it restricts our creativity. When a vast and highly interconnected expanded universe reaches a certain scale, it can itself become cumbersome, so we must carefully plan the path for future titles. We hope that the release of each new game in the future will be an event worth celebrating and exciting, rather than diluting the brand value by releasing them too frequently. However, from the perspective of our studio values, the most important point remains unchanged: no matter which "Subnautica" game we work on in the future, we hope to involve the community in its development as early as possible. Because we believe this is the fundamental reason why this series continues to produce excellent works.