Subnautica 2 is the most wanted game on Steam, and the reviews reveal various reasons why this is the case and why you can look forward to it.
On May 14, 2026, the release of Subnautica 2 will occur. This is a sequel to the survival game of the same name. As in its predecessor, Subnautica 2 is mostly set underwater. There, you explore the depths of the ocean, encounter various creatures, and fight for your survival. The gameplay loop of the survival game has been so convincing that it has been the most wanted game on Steam for months.
According to an estimate by Alinea Analytics, around 3.8 million gamers have Subnautica 2 on their wishlists (via LinkedIn). The analyses by the market research company are considered accurate and have previously been verified by insider reports – for example, Paul Tassi from Forbes confirmed the estimated development costs of Marathon through internal sources at Bungie.
5 Reasons Why You Should Be Excited About Subnautica
The first part of Subnautica, released in 2014 in Early Access, has collected over 340,000 positive reviews on Steam. This corresponds to about 97% of all players who have played the game on Valve’s gaming platform. We have looked at the individual reviews again and summarize for you the aspects of the game that players praised the most.
An Exciting Setting with Great Atmosphere
Subnautica is often praised for its game world. Many gamers love the almost unique underwater setting and are huge fans of the game’s flora and fauna. In conjunction with the sound design that you get while exploring the underwater world, an atmosphere is created that even players with hundreds of hours still find great.
Surprisingly High Scare Factor
Some players emphasize in their reviews that the game has a surprisingly high scare factor. The German-speaking Subnautica fan “Happy_KillerXD” writes in his review on Steam: “The scare aspect should really not be underestimated. When you just want to collect resources and suddenly hear a distant rumbling or screaming, it really sends a chill down your spine.”
It Meets the Checkpoints of a Good Survival Game
Fans of survival games often value the same gameplay aspects. This includes a straightforward but good crafting system for building bases and tools. For many players, Subnautica meets these checkpoints. Additionally, it offers a certain challenge while still being beginner-friendly.
And unlike the first part, you can even play Subnautica 2 in co-op with friends.
Exploring the Game World is Considered a Major Highlight
Exploring the game world is considered one of the greatest strengths of the game, as it is particularly fun in the diverse underwater world. Extra praise is given for the different biomes, and also for the fact that exploration becomes even more exciting as the game progresses: The deeper you dive, the darker and more ominous your dive becomes.
High Replay Value
As a survival game, Subnautica has high replay value. You can start new runs repeatedly and build your bases in different parts of the map if you enjoy that. Alternatively, you can increase replay value through mods. There are story mods like “The Red Plague” (via Nexis Mods), which add a completely new story with new locations, creatures, tools, and technologies. However, if you don’t want that, you can also just play through the story and uninstall the game afterward.
Also, MeinMMO author Johanna is already looking forward to Subnautica 2 and has the game on her wishlist – even though she actually has pretty bad conditions for playing the underwater survival game. You can read why this is the case on MeinMMO: I have Subnautica 2 at the top of my wishlist, even though I am afraid of the ocean and have never played the first part
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