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11 Crossplay in Subnautica 2 is live and lets players on different platforms join the same co-op session. The game uses Epic Online Services for cross-platform matchmaking and connectivity, enabling play between PC, Xbox, and handheld devices. Design Lead Anthony Gallegos described the approach as making the game "available anywhere, with anybody."
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33 Supported Platforms
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55 PlatformStatusDetailsPC (Steam)LiveFull crossplay with all other supported platforms.PC (Epic Games Store)LiveFull crossplay with every other supported platform.PC (Microsoft Store / Xbox-on-PC)LiveIncludes PC Game Pass subscribers, who play through the Microsoft Store build.Xbox Series X|SLiveAvailable as an Early Access title and crossplay-enabled with all platforms.Game Pass (Ultimate, PC)LiveDay-one availability at no additional cost on the Ultimate and PC tiers. Crossplay-enabled with all platforms.ROG Xbox AllyLiveThe ROG Xbox Ally handheld supports crossplay and ships with a dedicated default graphics preset for the device.Steam DeckLive (Verified)Steam Deck Verified at Early Access launch and crossplay-compatible through the Steam build.PlayStation 5Not availableNot part of the crossplay set. PS5 is not available at Early Access and has not been officially confirmed for any date. If a PS5 version ships later, its crossplay support has not been described.
66 PlayStation 5 is not available at Early Access and has not been officially confirmed for any date, so it is not part of the current crossplay set.
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88 How It Works
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1010 Subnautica 2 uses Epic Online Services as a platform-agnostic connectivity layer rather than relying on platform-specific matchmaking systems. This enables cross-platform play without requiring players to use a specific storefront or service. The game's multiplayer is peer-to-peer: one player hosts the session while others connect directly. Up to four players can join a single session regardless of which platform each is using, and progress saves to the host's world.
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1212 Friend Codes and Invitations
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1414 Subnautica 2 uses a friend-code system to let players invite each other across platforms. Players have two main ways to invite friends:
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1616 MethodHow It WorksIn-game friend codesPlayers exchange friend codes through the cross-platform friends menu and invite each other regardless of platform. This is the primary method for cross-platform play.Platform friends listNative platform friends systems (Steam, Xbox) can also send invitations within the same platform ecosystem.
1717 All multiplayer is invitation-based. There is no automatic matchmaking with strangers. Players invite specific friends to join their world, and those friends can join and leave freely using the drop-in/drop-out system.
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1919 Game Pass Integration
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2121 Subnautica 2 is available on Game Pass on day one of Early Access on the Ultimate and PC tiers. Subscribers on Xbox and PC can play during Early Access at no additional cost beyond their subscription, and they have full crossplay access with Steam, Epic, and other platform players. This significantly expands the crossplay player pool, since subscribers on both Xbox consoles and PC Game Pass (which uses the Microsoft Store) can join sessions with players on any other supported platform.
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2323 Handheld Devices
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2525 Both the Steam Deck and the ROG Xbox Ally support crossplay, allowing portable players to join sessions with desktop and console players. The Steam Deck is Verified for the Early Access build, and the ROG Xbox Ally is a supported launch platform with its own default graphics preset.
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2727 Crossplay Is Optional
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2929 All multiplayer in Subnautica 2, including crossplay, is entirely optional. The full game can be completed solo. Gallegos emphasized: "We never wanted to encroach on someone's game that just is like, 'I want to play solo.'" No content is locked behind multiplayer, and no puzzles require multiple players.
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3131 Not Yet Detailed
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3333 Whether cross-progression (carrying save data between platforms) is supported.Any PlayStation 5 timeline; a PS5 version is unconfirmed and possibly only around the 1.0 release.Whether crossplay can be disabled for platform-specific sessions.In-world proximity voice chat, planned for a later co-op-focused update; at launch, voice chat relies on external or platform-native options.