The underwater crafting sequel is an immediate sensation
Subnautica 2 is off to a successful launch after launching in early access today. According to developer Unknown Worlds, the underwater crafting sequel sold one million copies in its first hour.
The success doesn’t come as a surprise if you’ve been following Subnautica 2‘s development history, but the numbers are still eye-popping. The direct sequel to 2018’s hit Subnautica has enjoyed a steady stream of excitement since its announcement in 2022. It became headline news in 2025 due to some tumultuous behind-the-scenes drama involving Unknown Worlds and publisher Krafton. Following a string of lawsuits and a delay to 2026, Subnautica 2 finally launched into early access on May 14 for Windows PC and Xbox Series X.
The anticipation didn’t fade in that time. Unknown Worlds shared an update on social media just one hour after the game launched at 11 a.m. ET to announce that the game has already sold one million copies.
Subnautica 2 is especially popular on Steam at the moment. At the time of writing, it currently has over 460,000 concurrent players according to SteamDB. That makes it the fourth most played game right now behind PUBG and well ahead of Apex Legends.
Even with that data to go on, we don’t know the full extent of Subnautica 2‘s popularity. The game also launched on Xbox Series X today, where it is available in Game Preview as part of Xbox Game Pass. Unknown Worlds’ sales announcement wouldn’t account for those who are playing the game through a subscription service, so the total number of players is likely even higher.
If you’re one of the million-plus players diving in today, make sure to check out our beginner’s tips to help you find your sea legs early on.
Subnautica 2 escapes a wave of controversy and should keep getting better
Nothing like dying a thousand times to remind you what being human means