Platforms and system requirements
Subnautica 2 is launching into Early Access on PC and Xbox Series X|S, with day-one Xbox Game Pass availability. The game is built in Unreal Engine 5, a significant change from the Unity engine used for the original Subnautica and Below Zero, and requires DirectX 12-capable hardware.
Confirmed platforms
Platform | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
PC (Steam) | Confirmed | Available on Steam for Early Access. Steam store page is live with system requirements and wishlisting. |
PC (Epic Games Store) | Confirmed | Available on the Epic Games Store alongside the Steam release. |
PC (Windows Store) | Confirmed | Available on the Microsoft Store / Windows Store for PC. |
Xbox Series X|S | Confirmed | Announced at the Xbox Partner Showcase in October 2024. Available as a Game Preview title (Microsoft's Early Access equivalent). |
Xbox Game Pass | Confirmed | Day-one availability for Game Pass subscribers. Announced alongside the game's reveal. Published by KRAFTON in partnership with Microsoft. |
PlayStation 5 | Not confirmed | No official PlayStation 5 announcement has been made. The original Subnautica and Below Zero were eventually released on PlayStation platforms, but no PS5 version of Subnautica 2 has been confirmed. |
Steam Deck | Unknown | The developers have stated they do not yet know their plans for Steam Deck support. No official compatibility rating or dedicated optimization has been announced. |
PC system requirements
The following system requirements are listed on the Steam store page for Subnautica 2:
Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
Operating system | Windows 10 | Windows 11 |
Processor | Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel Core i7-13700 / AMD Ryzen 7 7700X |
Memory | 12 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 1660 6GB / AMD RX 5500 XT 6GB | NVIDIA RTX 3070 8GB / AMD RX 6700 XT 8GB |
DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
Storage | 50 GB available space | 50 GB available space |
Requirements analysis
The system requirements reflect the move to Unreal Engine 5 and the increased visual fidelity of Subnautica 2 compared to its predecessors. Notable points:
12 GB minimum RAM: Higher than the 8 GB minimum required by the original Subnautica and Below Zero. The 12 GB minimum is a direct result of Unreal Engine 5's memory requirements and the larger, more detailed world.
DirectX 12 required: Both minimum and recommended specifications require DirectX 12, meaning older DirectX 11-only GPUs will not be supported. This aligns with UE5's rendering pipeline requirements.
6 GB VRAM minimum: The minimum GPU requirement of 6 GB VRAM (GTX 1660 or RX 5500 XT) indicates that the game makes significant use of GPU memory for textures and rendering.
50 GB storage: The same storage requirement for both minimum and recommended suggests a fixed install size, though this may increase during Early Access as new content is added.
Supported languages
Subnautica 2 supports the following languages at launch:
English
German
Korean
Portuguese (Brazil)
Spanish (Latin America)
French
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Italian
Additional language support may be added during the Early Access period. The original Subnautica eventually supported over 20 languages by its full release.
Cross-platform multiplayer
The Steam store page lists cross-platform multiplayer as a feature, indicating that players on different PC storefronts (Steam, Epic, Windows Store) and Xbox can play together. The specifics of how cross-platform matchmaking works, whether it requires platform-linked accounts, and any potential limitations have not been detailed.
Performance considerations
As an Early Access title built in Unreal Engine 5, performance is expected to be an ongoing area of optimization throughout development. The original Subnautica had well-documented performance issues during its Early Access period that were gradually improved over time. Players should expect similar iterative optimization for Subnautica 2, particularly in areas such as:
Draw distance and level-of-detail transitions in large open biomes
Loading times when transitioning between biome areas
Memory usage with extended play sessions
Multiplayer network performance with up to 4 players in the same world
Note: System requirements may be updated during the Early Access period as the game is optimized and new content is added. Always check the Steam store page for the most current specifications.