Subnautica 2 finally has a firm early access date. Unknown Worlds says the underwater survival sequel will launch on May 14, 2026 at 08:00 PDT / 15:00 UTC, which is 11:00 AM Eastern, across PC and Xbox Series X|S.
The date arrives through a new cinematic trailer and gives Subnautica fans the first concrete answer after months of uncertainty around the sequel's timing. Unknown Worlds also confirmed that Subnautica 2 will cost $29.99 USD at early access launch, with regional pricing handled through each storefront. Buying during early access will include all additions, updates and hotfixes through the 1.0 release and beyond.
Early access starts on PC and Xbox
Subnautica 2 is now listed across Steam, the Epic Games Store and Xbox. The Steam early access page says the team expects the game to remain in early access for about two to three years, with more biomes, creatures, craftables, features and narrative content planned over time. It also warns that the first version will be unfinished, with bugs, performance issues and other rough edges likely during development.
The Xbox store page frames the console version as a Game Preview release. It lists Subnautica 2 as a new alien-ocean survival adventure from Unknown Worlds, with solo play and optional online co-op for up to four players. The sequel follows pioneers stranded after the colony ship CICADA reaches a dangerous new world, with base building, vehicles, alien ruins and Leviathans all part of the pitch.
Xbox buyers will also get Xbox Play Anywhere support, meaning one purchase covers the Xbox console and PC versions through Microsoft's store ecosystem. On PC, players can wishlist the game through Steam and Epic ahead of launch.
The launch follows a messy publisher fight
The May date lands after an unusually public fight between Unknown Worlds leadership and parent company Krafton. In March, a Delaware court ordered operational control returned to Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill after a dispute tied to Krafton's 2021 acquisition of the studio and a possible $250 million earnout. The Guardian reported that the ruling described Krafton's chief executive using ChatGPT while exploring ways to avoid the payout, with vice-chancellor Lori Will writing that Krafton followed many of the chatbot's recommendations.
Krafton said at the time that it disagreed with the ruling and was evaluating its options. Since then, storefronts have shifted toward Unknown Worlds as the named publisher for Subnautica 2, while Krafton remains the studio's parent company.
That background gives the early access date more weight than a normal release update. Subnautica 2 is not just arriving after a long wait for the next mainline entry, it is arriving after a leadership dispute that raised questions about who would guide the game through launch. Unknown Worlds is now asking players to help shape the sequel across a multi-year early access period, much like the studio did with earlier Subnautica games.