Subnautica 2 has hit almost half a million concurrent players on Steam in its first hour of release. At the time of this article's publication, Subnautica 2 was on an incredible 467,000 concurrent players on Valve's platform, and developer Unknown Worlds confirmed the game had sold 1 million copies within the first hour of launch. For an early access game that released on PC and Xbox Series X and S in the middle of a weekday, these numbers are pretty huge. It's likely they will only grow from here, as word of mouth spreads and more players come online.

The critical reception to the game seems to be positive. We gave Subnautica 2's early access launch a 7/10 in our review, noting that it's fun, but it's evident the game is still a work-in-progress. "It’s pretty impressive that wading in the shallow tides of Subnautica 2's Early Access debut is as fun as it is already, and that should be a great sign of things to come, but I also wouldn’t blame anyone for waiting for these waters to rise a bit before getting their feet wet," we said.

Subnautica 2 was one of the most anticipated games around, and the most wishlisted game on Steam up until its release. The first game was an indie darling that captivated fans with its incredibly serene, yet mysterious setting. Players fill the shoes of a spaceship crash survivor after landing in the ocean of a mysterious alien planet. They're forced to use whatever they can to survive and uncover the secrets around them. It made for an incredibly compelling experience, but one that also could be expanded upon.

Subnautica 2 had a bumpy road to release, with development beginning around 2022. The game was initially targeting a 2025 release, but was delayed following drama with publisher Krafton. In July 2025, Krafton removed Unknown World's leadership from the company, including CEO Ted Gill. This spawned a legal battle, with the fired employees claiming Krafton let them go and delayed the game to avoid paying out a massive $250 million bonus for hitting key targets and deadlines. A judge had Gill and his colleagues reinstated earlier this year, which then put the game back on track for release.

There was one last obstacle before launch, however. Subnautica 2 leaked online days before its release. However, it doesn't seem to have hurt the game in any notable way. Subnautica 2's launch is just the beginning, as it will be updated over time with new content. For now, the game packs a meaty narrative, co-op, and an expansive sea to explore.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.