Subnautica 2 enters Early Access today, Steam Deck ready

Subnautica 2 hits Early Access, fully compatible with Steam Deck
GAMING NEWS Fyra Frost - May 14, 2026, 20:00 - 47 comments
Early access

In a long-awaited moment for fans of underwater exploration, Subnautica 2 officially launches in Early Access today, promising a deeper dive into the alien oceans that made the original game a cult classic. Developed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment, Subnautica 2 delivers the franchise's signature blend of survival, crafting, and breathtaking underwater exploration, but on an entirely new planet. Players can expect expanded biomes, more complex ecosystems, and a story that builds on the mysteries of Subnautica.

Also on Steam Deck

Excitement has been building for months, especially after a controversy that could have had serious consequences. Fueled by teaser trailers showcasing bioluminescent flora, massive underwater creatures, and cutting-edge visuals that push the boundaries of immersion in survival games, the game is finally available in its Early Access version. Fans hope the sequel will not only preserve the tense, suspenseful exploration that defined the original but also introduce more freedom in gameplay, dynamic weather systems, and new technologies for crafting and survival.

Another highlight is the game's Steam Deck compatibility. According to the developers, Subnautica 2 has been optimized to run smoothly on Valve's handheld console, giving players the freedom to explore alien oceans on the go without sacrificing visual fidelity or performance. This move is expected to expand the game's reach to a broader audience of portable gamers.

 

 

Early Access, as always, means the game is a work in progress, with players encouraged to provide feedback that will shape future updates. Unknown Worlds has promised regular content updates, performance improvements, and community-driven enhancements over the coming months.

With Subnautica 2 now available, fans of survival adventures can finally descend into the depths of a new alien ocean, and the gaming community is eager to see whether the sequel will live up to the towering expectations set by its predecessor. As usual, you can visit our comparator to get your copy of Subnautica 2 at the cheapest price.

Fyra Frost

Fyra Frost

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From the days of MTG tournaments coverage to all things gaming, I am interested in the latest games and gadgets, because a girl never can have enough of them!

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MRGIANITA
MRGIANITA
May 22, 2026, 18:10 on dlcompare.it
E' un gioco molto chill e quindi merita di essere giocato anche su steam deck, magari con le opportune modifiche grafica ma ci sta
It's a very chill game so it deserves to be played on steam deck as well, maybe with the appropriate graphical changes but it's there
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yodish78
yodish78
May 22, 2026, 14:21 on dlcompare.it
Penso che il punto forte del gioco sia la direzione artistica. Ci sono momenti in cui dimentichi completamente il tuo obiettivo solo per esplorare una grotta o osservare una creatura in lontananza. Il gioco mantiene anche questa capacità di creare tensione senza la necessità di battaglie permanenti. Ovviamente bisogna ridurre alcuni parametri grafici, ma l'esperienza rimane molto buona. Per l'accesso anticipato, i contenuti di base sono già molto promettenti. Sì, ci sono ancora bug e problemi di ottimizzazione, ma personalmente preferisco seguire l'evoluzione del gioco piuttosto che aspettare altri due anni prima di toccarlo
I think the highlight of the game is the art direction. There are times when you completely forget your objective just to explore a cave or observe a creature in the distance. The game also maintains this ability to create tension without the need for permanent battles. Of course, some graphical parameters need to be reduced, but the experience remains very good. For early access, the basic content is already very promising. Yes, there are still bugs and optimization issues, but I personally prefer to follow the evolution of the game rather than wait another two years before touching it
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gennyshark
gennyshark
May 22, 2026, 11:58 on dlcompare.it
Dopo una lunga attesa e dopo essere diventato uno dei giochi più desiderati su Steam, Subnautica 2 è finalmente disponibile in accesso anticipato. Non vedevo l'ora di giocarci, soprattutto perché adoro l'originale. Da mesi non vedevo l'ora di immergermi di nuovo negli oceani alieni e non vedevo l'ora di farlo sullo Steam Deck. Prima della sua uscita, abbiamo visto un vlog degli sviluppatori che mostrava lo Steam Deck nel video, alimentando le speculazioni sulla sua buona giocabilità su questa piattaforma. Inoltre, ho avuto l'opportunità di parlare con gli sviluppatori prima del rilascio e mi hanno detto che hanno un preset specifico per lo Steam Deck e che puntano a raggiungere una fluidità stabile di 30 FPS. Hanno anche accennato a un'ottimizzazione progressiva durante lo sviluppo per rendere il gioco più fluido, quindi possiamo aspettarci un miglioramento nel corso del tempo.
After a long wait and after becoming one of the most desired games on Steam, Subnautica 2 is finally available in early access. I have been looking forward to playing it, especially since I love the original. I had been looking forward to diving back into the alien oceans for months and couldn't wait to do so on the Steam Deck. Before its release, we saw a vlog from the developers showing the Steam Deck in the video, fueling speculation about its good playability on this platform. In addition, I had the opportunity to speak with the developers before the release and they told me that they have a specific preset for the Steam Deck and that they aim to achieve a stable 30 FPS fluidity. They also mentioned progressive optimization during development to make the game smoother, so we can expect improvement over time.
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Reign
Reign
May 22, 2026, 09:34 on dlcompare.fr
C'est une bonne chose? Je veux dire, c'est un peu ce que l'on attend d'une console comme le Steam deck, l'idée étant de pouvoir embarquer ses jeux n'importe où. Je ne comprends pas tellement l'étonnement.
Is this a good thing? I mean, it's kind of what you'd expect from a console like the Steam deck, the idea being to be able to ship your games anywhere. I don't really understand the astonishment.
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SlDiorite5
SlDiorite5
May 22, 2026, 00:09 on dlcompare.com
Pretty happy with the game right now and I can't wait to see what they're planning for the cyclops replacement. It really needs to highlight the co-op aspect of the sequel, with lots of stuff for your teammates to help.
gonzola
gonzola
May 21, 2026, 21:15 on dlcompare.es
Cuando descubrí Subnautica 2, mi talasofobia ya me había afectado profundamente, así que no pensé que podría disfrutar del juego en una pantalla portátil. Sin embargo, la compatibilidad con el Steam Deck es impresionante. Sostener la consola en una habitación oscura hace que incluso la exploración submarina sea más inmersiva, especialmente cuando las criaturas bioluminiscentes aparecen a unos centímetros de distancia. Se puede ver claramente que Unknown Worlds Entertainment ha hecho un gran esfuerzo para ofrecer una experiencia fluida desde el lanzamiento, algo bastante excepcional para un juego de acceso anticipado. Me gusta especialmente que todo sea jugable de inmediato con la configuración básica, sin tener que pasar tiempo en las opciones antes de comenzar la aventura. Esta adaptación es un verdadero regalo para los jugadores de PC nómadas, y probablemente sea uno de los argumentos más convincentes que he visto desde hace mucho tiempo para invertir en un Steam Deck
When I discovered Subnautica 2, my thalassophobia had already affected me deeply, so I didn't think I would be able to enjoy the game on a portable screen. However, the Steam Deck compatibility is impressive. Holding the console in a dark room makes even underwater exploration more immersive, especially when bioluminescent creatures appear inches away. You can clearly see that Unknown Worlds Entertainment has put a lot of effort into delivering a smooth experience from launch, something quite exceptional for an early access game. I especially like that everything is playable right away with the basic setup, without having to spend time in the options before starting the adventure. This adaptation is a real treat for nomadic PC gamers, and is probably one of the most compelling arguments I've seen in a long time for investing in a Steam Deck.
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didi90
didi90
May 21, 2026, 20:31 on dlcompare.es
Steam Deck es una grandísima consola y poder jugar en cualquier lado a Subnautica 2, estando tan bien optimizado, es algo muy bueno.
Steam Deck is a great console and being able to play Subnautica 2 anywhere, being so well optimized, is a very good thing.
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Gamer2021
Gamer2021
May 21, 2026, 10:05 on dlcompare.fr
Pas mal de joueurs sont surpris de voir que Subnautica 2 tourne déjà plutôt bien sur Steam Deck en accès anticipé. Explorer l’océan en portable, ça tourne plutot bien et beaucoup trouvent l’expérience vraiment cool malgré quelques drops de FPS et bugs. On sent que l’optimisation est pas encore finie, mais pour une EA, les retours sont franchement bons et ça donne envie de suivre le jeu jusqu’à la sortie finale.
Many gamers are surprised to see that Subnautica 2 is already running quite well on Steam Deck in early access. Exploring the ocean in handheld mode, it's running pretty well and many are finding the experience really cool, despite a few FPS drops and bugs. It feels like the optimization isn't finished yet, but for an EA, the feedback is really good and makes you want to follow the game through to final release.
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Nachos
Nachos
May 20, 2026, 19:12 on dlcompare.fr
Je trouve cette early access très prometteuse, on sent déjà une énorme ambition dans l’univers, l’exploration et l’ambiance. Les développeurs semblent écouter la communauté et vont ajouté régulièrement du contenu ainsi que diverses améliorations. Visuellement, le jeu est déjà très beau et tourne relativement bien pour une version EA. On découvre de nouvelles créatures, de nouveaux biomes et des mécaniques intéressantes qui donnent envie d’explorer toujours plus loin. Malgré quelques bugs, l’expérience reste très agréable et laisse penser que le jeu final pourrait devenir l’un des meilleurs survie/craft
I find this early access very promising, as we can already sense a huge ambition in the universe, exploration and atmosphere. The developers seem to be listening to the community, and will be adding content and various improvements on a regular basis. Visually, the game is already very beautiful and runs relatively smoothly for an EA version. We discover new creatures, new biomes and interesting mechanics that make us want to explore even further. Despite a few bugs, the experience remains highly enjoyable and suggests that the final game could become one of the best survival/craft games around.
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tohdimvk
tohdimvk
May 20, 2026, 15:58 on dlcompare.de
Ich war ziemlich skeptisch, bevor ich es gespielt habe, weil viele Folgen nur auf das "größte und schönste" setzen. Aber hier habe ich wirklich das Gefühl, dass sie verstanden haben, warum der erste Subnautica so viele Spieler getroffen hat. Die Erkundung bleibt erstaunlich, besonders wenn man mit dieser stressigen Musik im Hintergrund auf ein völlig unbekanntes Gebiet trifft. Man spürt natürlich, dass der frühe Zugang mehrere Monate Polish erfordern wird, insbesondere im Interface und bei einigen Animationen, aber die künstlerische Leitung ist schon verrückt. Im Moment bevorzuge ich diesen Ansatz deutlich mehr als viele der jüngsten AAA-Tests, die "fertig" aber ohne Seele herauskommen
I was pretty skeptical before I played it because a lot of sequels just go for the "biggest and best". But here I really feel like they understood why the first Subnautica hit so many players. The exploration remains amazing, especially when you encounter a completely unfamiliar area with that stressful music in the background. You can obviously sense that early access will require several months of polish, especially in the interface and some animations, but the art direction is already insane. For now, I much prefer this approach to many of the recent AAA tests that come out "finished" but without soul
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  • Technical information

  • Categories : Action, Adventure, Survival
  • Editor : Unknown Worlds Entertainment
  • Developer : Unknown Worlds Entertainment
  • Mode(s):
    • Solo ( At Launch)
    • Co-op (Max 4 players, Online)
  • Crossplay: Total
  • Release date : May 14, 2026
Subnautica 2
A first-person view of Subnautica 2, featuring a diver in a vibrant underwater environment, with the player's hands in the foreground.
Underwater view from Subnautica 2, with a giant, strange sea creature gliding through the luminous underwater.
Underwater view from Subnautica 2. Shows creatures, a ship, and player's hand reaching into the water.
Underwater view from Subnautica 2, featuring a huge glowing alien creature and a red cave environment.
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