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Wakemaker
May 23, 2026 at 02:35 PM
Corrected wikilink existence flags
The Wakemaker is a handheld propulsion tool in Subnautica 2, not a vehicle. It is a battery-powered twin-fan device the player holds and uses to boost swim speed across the oceans of Proteus. Because it occupies the player's hands and runs on a battery, it sits in the tools and equipment roster rather than the vehicles lineup. The only buildable vehicle in the current Early Access build is the Tadpole.
The Wakemaker is a personal-mobility tool built around two fans that drive the player forward faster than unaided swimming. It is the early traversal upgrade most players reach for when they want to cover distance between dive sites or outrun a slow threat. As a handheld tool it provides speed only: it offers no cockpit, no storage, no oxygen supply of its own, and no protection from creatures or environmental hazards. For enclosed travel and depth progression, players rely on the Tadpole instead.
The following details are confirmed for the current build:
Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
Type | Handheld propulsion tool (held in the player's hands while in use). |
Drive | Twin-fan design that pushes the player forward, boosting swim speed. |
Visual effect | The player is rendered visually obscured while the Wakemaker is active. |
Power | Runs on a battery, which depletes with use and can be recharged or swapped. |
Unlock | Built from a blueprint that is unlocked by scanning several fragments found in the world. |
Class | Tool, not a vehicle. Provides speed only: no storage, protection, or oxygen. |
The Wakemaker's two fans generate forward thrust when the player activates it, raising movement speed above the baseline swim rate. While it is running, the player's view is partly obscured by the effect of the device, a trade-off for the extra speed. Because it draws from a battery, sustained use drains charge over time, so players carry spare power or return to a base to recharge during longer expeditions. Exact speed values, battery duration, and the recipe's precise material costs have not been published, so those specifics are not documented here.
Like most equipment in the game, the Wakemaker is gated behind the scan-to-unlock progression. Its blueprint becomes available after the player scans several fragments scattered across the world. Once the blueprint is unlocked, the tool is crafted at a Fabricator. This mirrors the wider crafting and resources loop, where exploration and scanning drive access to new gear.
The Wakemaker sits at the personal-mobility tier of traversal. It is the fastest way to move on foot, so to speak, before committing to a built vehicle. The table below places it alongside the other traversal options in the current build:
Item | Class | Role |
|---|---|---|
Tool (handheld) | Personal speed boost for swimming. Battery-powered. No protection, storage, or oxygen. | |
Vehicle (submersible) | The only buildable vehicle in Early Access. Enclosed single-pilot cockpit with swappable chassis; co-op passengers can ride external handles and still receive oxygen. | |
Base structure | Vertical-traversal module that lowers players and objects through the water column. A base structure, not a vehicle. |
The Wakemaker fits Subnautica 2's co-op multiplayer. Each diver can carry and use their own Wakemaker to keep pace with the group, and because it is a personal tool rather than a shared vehicle, several players can use one at the same time without contention. For group descents that need to move bulk cargo or many players together, the Dive Elevator covers that role instead.
As of the Early Access launch build, the following Wakemaker details have not been confirmed:
The exact numerical swim-speed boost over baseline swimming
Battery capacity and how long a charge lasts in use
The full crafting recipe and material costs
Which specific fragments unlock the blueprint, and where they are found
Whether it has upgrade modules or higher tiers
