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Tadpole
The Tadpole is a new submersible vehicle in Subnautica 2. It was featured prominently in Dev Vlog 4, released in December 2025, where the development team walked through the vehicle's design process, visual development, and gameplay functionality. The Tadpole is designed as a smaller personal submarine, distinct from the larger vehicle types players may encounter later in the game.
Design and appearance
The Tadpole features a manta ray fin chassis design, drawing inspiration from the smooth, hydrodynamic shape of manta rays. The fins extend from the vehicle's body, giving it an organic silhouette that fits naturally within Zezura's alien underwater environments rather than looking like an industrial Earth-built machine.
The vehicle's visual development was led by Cory Strader (Visual Development Lead), who worked alongside 3D Artist Ben Henry to translate the concept into a fully realized in-game model. The design process, shown in Dev Vlog 4, involved multiple iterations to balance the vehicle's aesthetic appeal with practical gameplay needs like visibility, cockpit sightlines, and animation readiness.
Development team
Dev Vlog 4 featured detailed commentary from multiple team members involved in the Tadpole's creation:
Team member | Role | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
Design Lead | Defined the gameplay role, size class, and design requirements for the vehicle within the overall vehicle lineup. | |
Visual Development Lead | Directed the visual design, established the manta ray fin aesthetic, and oversaw the concept-to-model pipeline. | |
Pedro Perez | Gameplay Designer | Designed the vehicle's gameplay systems, handling, and interaction mechanics. |
Ben Henry | 3D Artist | Created the 3D model based on Cory Strader's visual direction, handling geometry, texturing, and detail work. |
Andi Urwalek | Gameplay Programmer | Implemented the vehicle's code, physics, controls, and integration with the game's vehicle systems. |
Gameplay role
The Tadpole is designed to be a smaller submersible that does not compete with larger vehicle types. In the original Subnautica, the vehicle hierarchy moved from the Seaglide (handheld propulsion) to the Seamoth (small submarine) to the Prawn Suit (exosuit) to the Cyclops (large submarine). The Tadpole occupies a comparable niche to the Seamoth: a personal, maneuverable submersible for exploration.
The vehicle is intended for navigating biomes, accessing areas that would be difficult or dangerous to reach by swimming alone, and providing protection from hostile creatures. It extends the player's operational range beyond what can be achieved with the Wakemaker (the handheld traversal tool that replaces the Seaglide) while remaining smaller and more agile than the larger submersibles planned for the game.
Repair and maintenance
Footage from Dev Vlog 4 showed players using the Repair Tool to fix a damaged Tadpole, confirming that vehicles in Subnautica 2 can sustain damage and require maintenance. This is consistent with the original Subnautica, where the Seamoth and Cyclops could be damaged by creature attacks and environmental hazards, requiring the Repair Tool to restore hull integrity.
The presence of vehicle damage and repair mechanics suggests that the Tadpole is not invulnerable, and that players will need to manage their vehicle's condition while exploring dangerous areas. This adds a risk-reward element to deep exploration: venturing too far or too aggressively without repairing can leave the player stranded.
Relationship to other vehicles
The Tadpole is one of multiple vehicles planned for Subnautica 2. It sits in the vehicle hierarchy alongside:
Wakemaker: A handheld traversal tool (not a vehicle) that replaces the Seaglide. Smaller and more personal than the Tadpole, used for quick swimming rather than extended exploration.
Larger submersibles: Additional vehicle types are planned but have not been fully revealed. The game's official description mentions "submersibles" in the plural, and the Early Access roadmap confirms vehicle upgrades and new vehicle types will be added during development.
Anthony Gallegos stated that players would "be there when we first add new vehicles" during Early Access, confirming that the Tadpole is part of an expanding vehicle roster rather than the only submersible in the game.
Dev Vlog 4
The Tadpole was the central topic of Dev Vlog 4, released in December 2025. The vlog provided an unusually detailed look at the vehicle creation process at Unknown Worlds Entertainment, covering:
Early concept art and design exploration for the vehicle's silhouette and proportions
The decision-making process for the manta ray fin aesthetic
3D modeling workflow, from blockout to high-detail model
Gameplay programming and physics implementation
In-game footage showing the Tadpole in action across different biomes
The vlog was well-received by the community for its transparency about the development process and the amount of iteration shown between early concepts and the final design.