There’s no better feeling than seeing the breadcrumbs of an upcoming game release, which is why fans of Subnautica, the acclaimed underwater survival series, have cause to get excited. The action-adventure franchise is poised to expand its horizons with a new addition anticipated to debut in the first half of 2025.
This development follows the series’ well-received titles: the original Subnautica, released in 2018, and its subsequent sequel, Subnautica: Below Zero, in 2021. Krafton, the South Korean video game holding company, has confirmed this timeline.
The initial reveal of a new Subnautica game surfaced in April last year when Unknown Worlds, the studio responsible for the series’ inception and growth, announced its search for a senior narrative designer. However, no particular details of the upcoming game were revealed in the job description.
Less than two years following this announcement, further details regarding the new Subnautica title have emerged in an unexpected manner. Krafton’s slate of upcoming releases, disclosed through a financial report (courtesy of Rock Paper Shotgun), included the much-anticipated game.
Set for launch in the first half of 2025, the game, temporarily referred to as “Next Subnautica,” has sparked curiosity and anticipation within the gaming community. Once again, detailed information about the game’s storyline, features, and specific enhancements remains scarce, leaving much to the imagination of the series’ devoted fans.
What we know so far is that “Next Subnautica” will remain under the creative guidance of Unknown Worlds. This continuity is particularly important, especially considering the fact that the studio was acquired by Krafton. Fortunately, part of the deal in the acquisition was that Unknown Worlds would continue to operate as an independent studio.
Like the titles before it, the upcoming aquatic adventure is set to dock on both PC and consoles. If we take into account the previous job listing remarks about a “new science fiction world,” there’s a good chance that players will not be making a return to the familiar oceanic planet of 4546B.
The legacy of the Subnautica series has been built on its immersive gameplay, innovative survival mechanics, and compelling storytelling, all set against the backdrop of a richly detailed and beautifully rendered underwater world. Our expectation is that the next installment will continue this tradition, offering both veterans and newcomers to the series a perfect blend of resource management, base building, and exploration.
Turning our attention back to Krafton’s financial report, other major projects in the pipeline include PUBG Studios’ upcoming extraction shooter, Project Black Budget, which is setting its sights on a release in the latter half of 2024. On top of this, there’s also the enigmatic Project Gold Rush, an “action-adventure sandbox” by Vector North that’s aiming for an early 2025 debut.
