Subnautica 3 Release Window Potentially Revealed

Game ZXC

Subnautica

By John Paul Joaquin

Published Nov 22, 2023

Highlights

Subnautica fans can expect a potential sequel to the game in 2025, as revealed by Krafton, the publisher of the game.
The upcoming Subnautica game will still be an adventure survival game and will be developed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment.
Krafton has plans to launch more than 32 games from 2024 to 2026, including Subnautica and other projects such as Black Budget, Gold Rush, Windless, and inZOI.

Korean game publisher Krafton may have revealed that a Subnautica sequel is in the works and could be released sometime in 2025. The latest Subnautica game, Subnautica: Below Zero, was released for the PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X in January 2019.

Subnautica: Below Zero, the direct sequel to the original 2014 game, expanded the series' universe and what players know from the original game. Because of this and the game's cliffhanger ending, players and fans have been speculating what they could expect with a possible sequel for the last few years. Although Liam Tart, the lead artist for the two Subnautica games, hinted that fans won't have to wait too long for the next Subnautica game, he didn't disclose a release window for fans to look forward to. However, it seems Krafton, the company that acquired Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment, may have potentially provided an answer just recently.

Krafton revealed in a presentation it is targeting 2025 to launch the next Subnautica game. Although the presentation didn't include more info about the upcoming game, it does confirm it will still be an adventure survival game and is being developed by Unknown Worlds. A Destructoid report proposed that the next Subnautica game could be a sequel to Below Zero, considering its development time.

Image from Subnautica showing an escape pod net to a giant space ship that's sinking.

Interestingly, Krafton's presentation showed that the next Subnautica game is one of the more than 32 games the publisher intends to launch from 2024 to 2026. These games include projects Black Budget, Gold Rush, and Windless. Black Budget is expected to be an extraction shooter, while Gold Rush is an action-adventure sandbox game, and Windless is allegedly an action RPG. Krafton's life simulation game that aims to rival EA's The Sims, inZOI, is also among the games the publisher intends to release between 2024 and 2026.

Krafton's revelation may mean that Subnautica fans could soon know if the next Subnautica game will have online co-op multiplayer, allowing players to explore and build their bases with others. Fans may recall that Unknown Worlds previously intended to release the original 2014 game with online multiplayer but had to cut it to launch it sooner. Additionally, Unknown Worlds might launch the upcoming game on early access before fully releasing it, much like it did with its predecessors. Nevertheless, these are only speculations and should be considered skeptically.

Regardless, Krafton gave many Subnautica fans something to look forward to next year by revealing a potential release window for a new Subnautica game. Only time can tell if the game is a sequel or a spin-off, but any chance to explore the depths of alien worlds and expand the Subnautica universe is a win for the series' fans.