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Tadpole
May 8, 2026 at 08:44 AM
Removed redundant H1 heading from article body
The Tadpole is a modular one-pilot submersible in Subnautica 2. It was the central topic of Dev Vlog 4 ("Crafting the Tadpole"), released December 9, 2025, where the development team walked through the vehicle's complete design process from concept art to in-game implementation.
The Tadpole has a manta ray fin chassis design, with wing-like panels extending from the vehicle's body. This gives it an organic, hydrodynamic silhouette that fits naturally within Planet Zezura's alien underwater environments rather than looking like an industrial Earth-built machine. A large glass cockpit window provides unobstructed forward visibility for the pilot.
Visual Development Lead Cory Strader directed the visual design and worked alongside 3D Artist Ben Henry to translate the concept into a fully realized in-game model. The vlog showed multiple design iterations, balancing aesthetic appeal with practical gameplay needs like cockpit sightlines and animation readiness.
Dev Vlog 4 footage showed at least two distinct chassis configurations: a bare-bones variant with the core frame exposed, and a paneled variant with additional hull plating covering the chassis. Whether these represent upgrade tiers, crafting stages, or cosmetic customization options has not been confirmed. The visible socket and attachment points on the rear of the chassis suggest a modular system where components can be added or swapped.
Specification | Value |
|---|---|
Crew | 1 pilot (co-op passengers can ride the exterior) |
Base crush depth | 200 meters |
Upgraded crush depth | 250 meters (with depth module) |
Cockpit | Large glass canopy with wide forward visibility |
Chassis | Modular with manta ray fin panels |
Damage | Can sustain hull damage; glass cockpit shows visible cracking beyond crush depth |
Repair | Repairable with the Repair Tool |
The base crush depth of 200 meters and upgraded depth of 250 meters were observed in Dev Vlog 4 footage. Exceeding the crush depth causes visible cracks on the glass cockpit, and continued depth will eventually destroy the vehicle. The specific name of the depth upgrade module has not been confirmed.
In multiplayer sessions, other players can ride on the exterior of the Tadpole while one player pilots it from the cockpit. The vehicle includes oxygen ports on the exterior so that passengers riding outside do not drown. The oxygen port system means a group of divers can travel together on a single Tadpole, with the pilot protected inside and passengers clinging to the hull while receiving air.
The development team described the Tadpole's design goal as combining modularity and utility with agile, responsive handling, drawing on lessons from prior franchise vehicles without recycling their designs. The Tadpole aims to split the difference: a single-hull vehicle with customizable chassis elements rather than detachable trailer modules.
The team also noted they "wanted to make sure that it wasn't so big that it would compete with the larger vehicles," confirming that additional, larger submersibles are planned for Subnautica 2 beyond the Tadpole.
Dev Vlog 4 highlighted the advanced water rendering that affects the Tadpole's visual presentation. Light refracts through the moving ocean surface and plays across the manta ray wing panels, creating dynamic lighting effects. Water turbidity and color degradation at depth are rendered more realistically, meaning the Tadpole's appearance changes as it descends. These visual details were made possible by Unreal Engine 5.
Dev Vlog 4 featured detailed commentary from five team members:
Team Member | Role | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
Design Lead | Defined the gameplay role, size class, and design requirements within the 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 handling, interaction mechanics, and gameplay systems. |
Ben Henry | 3D Artist | Created the 3D model from blockout to high-detail, 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. |
The Tadpole occupies a personal-submersible niche: a personal, maneuverable submersible for mid-depth exploration. It sits between the Wakemaker (wearable speed booster for unprotected swimming) and the Dive Elevator (platform for bulk vertical transport) in the vehicle hierarchy.
Anthony Gallegos stated that players would "be there when we first add new vehicles" during Early Access, confirming the Tadpole is part of an expanding vehicle roster. The leaked milestone documents reference a second, unnamed submersible in addition to the Tadpole.
The Tadpole was the central topic of Dev Vlog 4, released December 9, 2025. The vlog provided an unusually detailed look at the vehicle creation process at Unknown Worlds, covering:
Early concept art and silhouette exploration
The decision-making process for the manta ray fin aesthetic
3D modeling workflow from blockout to high-detail model
Multiple chassis iterations (bare-bones vs. paneled)
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.
