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- Subnautica 2
Subnautica 2
An underwater survival game where four friends explore an alien ocean and build bases between expeditions.
Online co-op for up to 4 players, with crossplay.
- 4 online
- Crossplay
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-op4 players
- Local co-opNot confirmed
- YesPC, XboxFriends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- YesA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- Not confirmedFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckVerifiedValve's own rating
About the game
You arrive on an ocean planet where your colony mission has gone wrong. You scan unfamiliar life, gather materials and make equipment that helps you reach deeper water. Building a base gives you somewhere to store supplies and prepare for another trip. Ruins and messages offer pieces of a story that is still being added during Early Access.
Up to four of you share an online world. You can collect supplies together, help a newcomer get equipped or divide the work of moving resources. Friends can ride along on a small submarine and revive a downed teammate. Built-in voice chat fades as you swim apart. Quiet gathering gives you room to talk, while dark water and large predators make deeper expeditions uneasy.
How it feels
Kind of game
One lasting world your group settles. You gather, build and push into dangerous places together.
- At its heart
- A big part
- Now and then
- Laughter and chaos
- Getting better
- Planning ahead
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
Rated on our own feel scale. 6 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked Subnautica 2
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
Grounded 2
Why it scores 85%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- Notable in both
- Fear, Story, Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Working in sync, Tension and danger, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Exploring, Building and creating
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players
How Grounded 2 differs
- More fighting than Subnautica 2
- Early access
- 4 online
- Crossplay
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both are often scary. Both have a story you follow together.
But more fighting than Subnautica 2.
Grounded
Why it scores 82%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- Notable in both
- Fear, Story, Time to hang out, Working in sync, Tension and danger, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Exploring, Building and creating
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players
How Grounded differs
- More fighting than Subnautica 2
- 4 online
- Crossplay
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both are about exploring places you have not seen. Both are often scary.
But more fighting than Subnautica 2.
Fallout 76
Why it scores 81%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- About
- Monsters
- Notable in both
- Story, Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Building and creating, Exploring, Tension and danger, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players
How Fallout 76 differs
- More fighting than Subnautica 2
- 4 online
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both are about monsters that hunt you. Both have long calm stretches.
But more fighting than Subnautica 2.
All co-op facts
Last checked 24 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Fewest players online
- Not confirmed
- Local co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on one screen
- Not confirmed
- Split or shared screen
- Not confirmed
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- No
The checked computer full base game requires purchase. Its paid base offer includes the supported co-op activity. Demo, trial, guest and subscription alternatives are separate.
- 34
- Confirmed free setups
- Does not apply
- Only one of you needs to buy it
- Not confirmed
Sources
13 pages
subnautica.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Genres, About.
- Most players online: The maker states four-player co-op.
- Genres: The maker calls it an underwater survival adventure.
- About: The maker calls it an underwater survival adventure set on a new alien world.
unknownworlds.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Release status, Release date.
- Release status: The launch announcement states that Early Access starts that day.
- Release date: The announcement is dated 2026-05-14.
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Sessions, Story, Unlocks and progress, Building and creating, Online co-op, Kind of game, About, Free base co-op.
- Sessions: Bases and equipment remain as the group returns to explore the world.
- Story: The colony ship and its AI set up an ongoing mystery. The current narrative is incomplete.
- Unlocks and progress: Tools and equipment upgrades open access to deeper places.
- Building and creating: Custom bases and equipment crafting are main activities.
- Online co-op: The maker description explicitly supports online cooperation with up to three friends.
- Kind of game: Friends gather, craft and build lasting bases while entering more dangerous water.
- About: The colony ship, its AI and equipment establish the science fiction setting. The text has you travel deep under the water and the user tags include Underwater.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full base game requires purchase. Its paid base offer includes the supported co-op activity. Demo, trial, guest and subscription alternatives are separate.
xbox.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Most players online, Crossplay, Crossplay between, Free base co-op.
- Platforms: The current product lists PC and Xbox Series X|S. Steam confirms Windows requirements.
- Most players online: Online co-op is listed for two to four players.
- Crossplay: The current listing explicitly includes Xbox cross-platform co-op.
- Crossplay between: The listed playable systems are PC and Xbox Series X|S. PC means Windows here.
- Free base co-op: The Windows and Xbox Series Game Preview base game needs purchase or a qualifying Game Pass subscription. Game Preview is a playable unfinished base release, not a free demo.
news.xbox.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Crossplay, Crossplay between.
- Crossplay: Unknown Worlds staff describe inviting Xbox friends and friends on other platforms.
- Crossplay between: The announcement names Windows PC and Xbox Series X|S alongside cross-platform play.
unknownworlds.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Voice chat by distance, Working in sync.
- Voice chat by distance: The 2026-08-19 update adds built-in cross-platform voice whose volume fades as players separate.
- Working in sync: Teammates can revive each other and exchange inventory items directly.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID.
- Steam app ID: Steam identifies Subnautica 2 as app 1962700.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Verified on Steam Deck.
wikidata.orgWikidata, read 24 October 2026
Backs Wikidata item.
- Wikidata item: The opened item identifies Subnautica 2.
pcgamesn.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Friends can join mid-game.
- Friends can join mid-game: PCGamesN, updated 2026-05-15, explicitly describes drop-in and drop-out. Its steps send invitations from inside a hosted game.
invenglobal.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Laughter and chaos, Fear, Tension and danger, Working in sync, Exploring, Getting better, Planning ahead, About.
- Laughter and chaos: Inven Global, 2026-05-21, describes a companion volunteering as bait and being eaten during a successful shared scan.
- Fear: Its played co-op account finds the deep ocean frightening even with companions.
- Tension and danger: Scanning large predators risks the players and their equipment.
- Working in sync: One player gathers below while another receives resources, or one distracts a predator while another scans.
- Exploring: Partners compare landmarks and discover places missed alone.
- Getting better: Players learn navigation, creature scanning and survival tools.
- Planning ahead: The group prepares equipment and assigns light gathering or distraction roles.
- About: Its played co-op account describes Leviathans pursuing and eating divers, supporting monsters.
pcgamer.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Calm and coziness, Time to hang out.
- Calm and coziness: PC Gamer, 2026-05-14, describes gathering that leaves room for the mind to wander.
- Time to hang out: The gathering and construction pace leaves mental space between expeditions.
corrosionhour.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Fear, Building and creating.
- Fear: Corrosion Hour, published 2026-06-02 and updated 2026-06-04, describes dread in open water and tight caves.
- Building and creating: The reviewer describes resizing rooms and tunnels and decorating lasting bases.