Planet Zezura biomes

Planet Zezura features a diverse array of handcrafted underwater biomes that form the explorable world of Subnautica 2. Each biome offers distinct visual environments, creatures, resources, and challenges. The planet is an alien ocean world, and its biomes range from familiar-feeling environments like kelp forests to entirely alien landscapes with no Earth parallel.

Discovery of biome names

The names of several biomes were first spotted by a Reddit user who noticed file names visible in the background of a dev vlog video produced by Unknown Worlds Entertainment. The file names appeared on a developer's screen during the vlog and contained references to specific biome areas. This accidental leak gave the community its first look at the scope and variety of Zezura's environments.

Note: These biome names were extracted from development file names and may not represent final naming. Some names may change before or during Early Access, and additional biomes are expected to be added over the course of development.

Known biomes

The following biomes have been identified through dev vlog file names, official footage, and developer commentary:

Biome	Description
Start Zone	The initial area where players begin the game after arriving on Zezura. Likely designed to be relatively safe, with accessible resources and gentle creature encounters to ease players into the survival loop.
Coral Gardens	A coral-themed biome that likely features extensive coral reef formations. Appears to be one of the larger biome areas, with at least two identified sub-biomes (Dolerite Spires and Graveyard Spires).
Dolerite Spires	A sub-biome likely located within or adjacent to the Coral Gardens. The name suggests tall, columnar rock formations made of dolerite, a type of igneous rock. This may feature dramatic vertical terrain.
Graveyard Spires	Another sub-biome likely connected to the Coral Gardens area. The "graveyard" designation suggests an environment featuring the remains of large creatures or ancient structures among spire formations.
Jelly Plateaus	A plateau-style biome with jellyfish-themed elements. The name implies flat, elevated terrain combined with jellyfish or jellyfish-like organisms as a defining feature of the environment.
Kelp Forest	A returning fan-favorite biome from the original Subnautica. Kelp Forests in the first game were lush, densely vegetated biomes that served as one of the earliest exploration areas. The Subnautica 2 version will feature Zezura's own alien kelp species.
Overgrown Ruins	A biome featuring mysterious overgrown structures. This suggests the presence of ancient architecture, possibly tied to the game's narrative about Zezura's history and any civilizations that may have existed on the planet.
Sparse Plains	An open, relatively barren biome. This is where the Collector Leviathan is known to spawn, suggesting it may be a dangerous open-water environment with limited cover.
VepZone	A biome with unknown details. The name does not correspond to any obvious real-world reference, suggesting it may describe a uniquely alien environment.
Void	An open-water or deep area similar to the original Subnautica's Void (also known as the Dead Zone or Crater Edge). In the first game, the Void was an empty, terrifying expanse beyond the main map that was patrolled by Ghost Leviathans to discourage players from leaving the play area.
World Tree	A biome with unknown details. The name evokes a massive tree-like organic structure, possibly a colossal underwater plant or organism that defines the biome's landscape.

Handcrafted design

Like the original Subnautica, the biomes of Planet Zezura are entirely handcrafted rather than procedurally generated. Every terrain feature, resource placement, and creature spawn point is deliberately placed by the development team. This approach allows for tightly designed exploration paths, deliberate pacing, and carefully staged moments of discovery and surprise.

The Unreal Engine 5 technology used for Subnautica 2 enables several custom environment tools that support this handcrafted approach:

MeshBlend: A custom tool developed for seamless mesh blending, allowing different terrain types and biome borders to transition smoothly without visible seams.
Tufa Kit pipeline: A specialized pipeline for creating rock formations. Named after tufa, a type of limestone formed by mineral precipitation, this tool allows artists to rapidly create varied and natural-looking rock structures across different biomes.

These tools were discussed in the dev vlogs, where environment artists demonstrated how they build and iterate on biome geometry.

Biome-specific resources and creatures

Following the design pattern of the original Subnautica, each biome on Zezura is expected to have its own set of unique resources, creature species, and environmental hazards. This biome-specific distribution drives the exploration loop by requiring players to venture into new and more dangerous areas to gather materials needed for advanced crafting.

Creatures like the Collector Leviathan (Sparse Plains), Hammerhead, and Waterslug are among the known fauna that populate these environments, though the complete creature roster and biome assignments for most species have not been confirmed.

Early Access expansion

According to the Early Access roadmap, the initial launch will include several biomes with more to be added through post-launch updates during the Early Access period. Anthony Gallegos stated that players will "be there when we first add new vehicles, craftables, biomes, and leviathans," confirming that biome additions are a planned part of the ongoing development cycle.