Subnautica 2 might still be lacking an early access release date beyond a vague “2025” window, but that hasn’t stopped Unknown Worlds from cranking the hype handling a little harder, with the studio having now shared a few additional details as part of a new video Q&A.
Last time around, Unknown Worlds offered a first, fleeting look at Subnautica 2 gameplay, but for its latest video update, creative producer Scott MacDonald and community manager Donya Abramo tackled a couple of burning fan questions. Admittedly, most of them ended with ‘not yet’, ‘maybe at some point’, and ‘no’, but there were still a couple of facts to glean.
Perhaps the most notable tidbit came in form of confirmation that Subnautica 2 will ditch the controversially chatty protagonist of 2021’s standalone expansion Below Zero and return to the silent protagonist approach of the first game, although that doesn’t mean other characters won’t be voiced. The decision accompanies the introduction of customisable characters, with players able to select from a handful of pre-designed protagonists before diving in. Unknown Worlds notes there’ll potentially be some further “freedom to express yourself as your character”, but whatever that means, it won’t be util after early access launch.
As for the world of Subnautica 2, it’s set on a brand-new ocean planet promising “all-new mysteries, creatures, and experiences”, and Unknown Worlds says it’s aiming for the game to be the “biggest and most exciting” series entry “ever” when it hits 1.0 in a few years time. It isn’t, however, exactly sure “how big and how deep [players will] be able to go over the course of early access”, but says the initial early access launch map will be more sizeable than those of the original Subnautica and Below Zero at a comparative time.