Collector Leviathan

The Collector Leviathan is the first hostile leviathan-class creature revealed for Subnautica 2. It was showcased in Dev Vlog #3 ("Creating the Collector Leviathan", September 16, 2025) and in a KRAFTON press release with concept art and development footage.

Design

The Collector is a gargantuan squid-like predator with a deliberately Cthulhu-inspired silhouette. Visual Development Lead Cory Strader began the design process with "multiple rounds of quick, low-detail thumbnail sketches," exploring diverse shapes and silhouettes before settling on the final form. The creature features a "split-body glow motif" visible from a distance.

It has two types of tentacles: four main tentacles designed to "grab, crush, swat, and terrify players," and mandible tentacles near its mouth used for feeding. Senior Technical Animator Stefaan Sorensen engineered the tentacle physics using Unreal Engine 5's Control Rig system, creating fully simulated movement with a sense of weight and fluid resistance rather than canned animation.

Attacks

The Collector Leviathan has multiple attack capabilities. Its tentacles can grab both players and vehicles, with the physics simulation creating unpredictable, chaotic interactions rather than scripted sequences. It also has a roar that produces a powerful shockwave, amplifying the sense of danger even at range. VFX Artist Laura Nedal designed particle effects that translate gameplay mechanics into visual cues while conveying the creature's alien nature.

Behavior and AI

AI Gameplay Lead Engineer Antonio Munoz Gallego designed the Collector's behavior system using UE5 behavior trees and a custom "stimulus" system. Gallego stated: "The Collector Leviathan is not just a monster that blindly attacks players. It is an intelligent and highly threatening deep-sea lifeform that actively reacts to player behaviour and pursues them."

The internal design brief describes the Collector as "intelligent but easily irritable" with a strong disdain for "players, tadpoles, tridents, and anything it does not recognise." (The mention of "tridents" alongside the Tadpole vehicle suggests another vehicle or tool in the game.) It can be distracted by fauna or objects like flares.

Gallego added that "the Leviathan is constantly re-evaluating the situation in real time." The AI responds to light, sound, and player actions rather than following predetermined patterns. Because leviathans cannot be killed in Subnautica 2, every encounter with the Collector is about evasion, distraction, or escape.

Habitat

The Collector Leviathan spawns in the Sparse Plains biome, approximately 20,000-25,000 units from the player once they enter the area.

Development team

Dev Vlog #3 featured Cory Strader (Visual Development Lead), Marcelo Figueredo (Lead Character Artist), Colin Knueppel (Principal Animator), Stefaan Sorensen (Senior Technical Animator), Laura Nedal (VFX Artist), Louis Karim (Game Designer), and Antonio Munoz Gallego (AI Gameplay Lead Engineer).

Cut leviathan

The May 2025 leaked milestone document indicated one leviathan-class creature was cut from the Early Access scope. The Collector survived the cuts, but its companion leviathan did not.