Subnautica 2 will be a live-service game supporting co-op for up to four players

KRAFTON earnings report has some details on the sequel

Update: Feb. 8, 2024

The Subnautica team posted a FAQ page addressing player concerns about the Subnautica 2 news and clarified what "continuous updates" they have in mind for the game. For one thing, Subnautica 2 is not built with multiplayer as its foundation. It's simply an option.

"In reference to 'Games-as-a-Service,' we simply plan to continually update the game for many years to come, just like the previous two Subnautica games," the team said about the second main concern. "Think our Early Access update model, expanded. No season passes. No battle passes. No subscription."

The studio also clarified Subnautica 2's launch plans. Early access won't happen in 2024 after all, though the devs plan on sharing much more information about Subnautica 2 and its future later in the year.

Original story:

KRAFTON has spilled some details on Subnautica 2 in its latest earnings report, revealing that it will be a live-service game supporting co-op gameplay for up to four players.

“Explore an oceanic world in stunning stylized graphics powered by Unreal Engine 5,” one bullet point in the presentation said. “Single or 1-4 player co-op to uncover the mysteries on an entirely new alien planet. Game-as-a-Service model with enhanced replayability.”

Subnautica was a success for Unknown Worlds Entertainment, which was bought up by KRAFTON in 2021 / Unknown Worlds Entertainment

Subnautica is a survival adventure game that was fully released in 2018 after around three years in Early Access, selling over five million copies by January 2020. A sequel that was originally conceptualized as a DLC pack, Subnautica: Below Zero, followed in 2021. In the series, players have to survive in a massive underwater world, constructing bases and submersibles as they explore their surroundings and dive to ever greater depths, where all sorts of challenges await.

Subnautica 2 was originally mentioned in KRAFTON’s earnings report from last year with a projected release date in the fiscal year 2024. Rumors around the game following a live-service model had been going around for a while.

Along with Subnautica 2, KRAFTON hopes to launch Dark and Darker Mobile, Dinkum Mobile, Inzoi, and Black Budget in the same window.

KRAFTON reported a 3.1% revenue increase and a 2.2% operating profit increase compared to last year, giving credit to the continued performance of PUBG. Though the mobile segment is still by far the most lucrative one for KRAFTON, it shrunk a little bit compared to the previous year – strong growth numbers on PC, the second highest grossing segment, managed to make up for it.