Subnautica 2 gameplay revealed in new trailer just hours after rumors surface about unjust delay

Today, just a few hours after learning about Subnautica 2 being delayed to 2026 and the messy rumors surrounding that, a new gameplay trailer was revealed on YouTube. This gameplay trailer was shared along with a statement from Unknown Worlds Entertainment, the developer of the Subnautica series, confirming that the game’s Early Access launch will be delayed to 2026. Overall, the message appears optimistic and doesn’t mention Krafton or the lost $250 million bonus.

Subnautica 2 gameplay reveal drops hours after 2026 delay news breaks

The new trailer is just about a minute and a half long, but does feature a first look at Subnautica 2 gameplay. This new interpretation of an underwater world looks gorgeous, and it appears to be full of strange and unique creatures, just like the first one. There’s a clear emphasis on co-op, as multiple player characters are shown working together to explore the ocean and build a base. One moment suggests that players will be able to fend off smaller threats with some kind of weapon. You can watch the full trailer below.

In a message shared on the Unknown Worlds website, the team shared that they have recently hosted community playtests for Subnautica 2. During these playtests, “the community was responding well to the environment, creatures, and story, and felt positive about the general direction of the game.” But these playtests also “provided some insight that there are a few areas where we needed to improve before launching…” So, the delay to 2026 is explained as taking time to respond to community feedback. This will likely be the best answer we get about the delay, leaving us to wonder about the $250 million bonus that the team will now miss out on.

The team also assures fans that “nothing is changing in terms of the direction of the game or the team behind it. We are confident in what we’ve created; we just want to give you a little bit more content for our first Early Access release.” While we didn’t get any specifics about what the additional content would be, Unknown Worlds did say that they will “be able to add more biomes, more vehicle upgrades, additional tools, expand on our story, and include more creatures to discover.” These all sound like things that could have been part of the first Early Access update. But if Unknown Worlds believes this is for the best, then we’ll have to take their word for it.

But this hasn’t stopped fans from worrying. The top comment on the new gameplay trailer reads, “Hopefully development won’t be ruined by what happened recently…” With a few other top comments simply calling out Krafton: “Give this team their deserved 250 million.” Otherwise, many fans are excited to play Subnautica 2. For now, we’ll have to wait to learn more about the fascinating development behind this highly anticipated sequel.

Subnautica 2

2026

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