Tadpole

The Tadpole is a submersible vehicle in Subnautica 2, featured in Dev Vlog #4 ("Crafting the Tadpole", December 9, 2025). It's the primary personal submersible, filling the role that the Seamoth and Seatruck held in previous games.

Design and modularity

The Tadpole's design pays homage to previous Subnautica vehicles while being distinct. Community feedback from the Subnautica 2 feedback platform indicates the Tadpole is designed as a one-pilot flight deck that can dock and assemble with other vehicles, similar to the Cyclops docking bay or the Seatruck's modular system from Below Zero.

The dev vlog walked through the design process from concept art through 3D modeling to in-game implementation. The team included Anthony Gallegos (Design Lead), Cory Strader (Visual Development Lead), Pedro Perez (Gameplay Designer), Ben Henry (3D Artist), and Andi Urwalek (Gameplay Programmer).

Community reception

Early community feedback has been mixed on the Tadpole's visual design. Some players felt it lacked the visual appeal of the Seamoth, particularly missing the Seamoth's distinctive half-circle silhouette and the sense of security its compact design provided. Others appreciated the fresh direction. The Tadpole's modular docking capability may address complaints about the loss of the Cyclops's mobile base functionality.

Context in the vehicle lineup

The developers confirmed that the Cyclops, Seamoth, and Seatruck do not return in Subnautica 2. The Tadpole and Dive Elevator are the two confirmed vehicles, alongside the Wakemaker wearable booster. The Collector Leviathan's design brief also mentions a "Trident," which may be an additional vehicle not yet publicly detailed.

Cut vehicle

Leaked milestone documents noted one vehicle was cut from the Early Access scope. Whether this refers to the Trident, a variant, or something else entirely is unknown.