General Questions
Is Subnautica 2 crossplay?
Yes. Online co-op supports 1-4 players with crossplay between PC (Steam / Epic Games Store) and Xbox Series X|S. The August 2026 Buddy System update (EA 1.2) added proximity voice chat, player revives, item trading and emotes. Co-op tips: Systems — co-op section.
How long is the game in Early Access?
Chapters 1-3 are playable at launch — roughly 15-25 hours for a completionist run. The roadmap runs to Chapters 1-10 for full release, adding auto-mining, farming and the Mothership.
Is Subnautica 2 on PS5, Switch or Xbox?
Currently PC (Steam / Epic) and Xbox Series X|S. No PS5 release timing is established by the sources checked for this guide. No Switch build announced.
How much does it cost?
$29.99 USD for Early Access (with pre-order pricing on launch). Price may adjust at 1.0.
Survival Questions
How do I heal in Subnautica 2?
Cooked food heals over time, medkits restore instantly, and Biomods add passive recovery. Eat before fights — don't tank mid-combat. More: Systems — stat gauges.
How do I get water?
Convert Water Slugs into water bottles at the fabricator early; later, base water purification handles it. First-hour details: Beginner guide.
What happens when I die?
You respawn at your last bed or the lifepod with a gear durability penalty and lost loose inventory. Blueprints and Biomods are kept. Don't carry irreplaceable materials into new territory.
Why can't I eat fish / alien food?
Early alien food causes digestive issues until you unlock the Digestion Adaptation via the Angel Comb / Anita blackbox chain. Until then, use Nutrient Blocks and cooked-compatible food. Route: Angel Comb section.
Puzzle Answers
Why won't the Angel Comb open?
You must clear the infection network first: follow the tendrils/side chambers, destroy every connected Bloom Canker with the Sonic Resonator (use the Feedback Resonator if one closes), then return to the central bulb — it becomes interactive and grants Heat Tolerance.
How do I get the Feedback Resonator?
Scan fragments on the late alien route: Angel Comb chain → Singh blackbox → Cicada Wreck Therapy Room → Metal Farm pools. Craft at a Modification Station: 1 Sonic Resonator + 2 Enameled Glass + 2 Conduit Crystal + 2 Strontium.
Roadmap & Updates
Early Access shipped May 14, 2026 with Chapters 1-3; EA Update 1.1 "Adaptive Measures" (July 8) and EA 1.2 "Buddy System" (August 19) are live. The planned 1.0 route adds auto-mining, farming systems and the Mothership (Chapters 4-10). Unknown Worlds patches frequently — recipes and routes can shift. This is a dated reference, not a guarantee that every route matches your installed build; check the version note at the top of every page before trusting a route.
Beginner's Guide → Full Walkthrough → Resource Locations. For everything else, use the search box in the header.
FAQ
How long is the Early Access build?
A first playthrough of the current EA content runs roughly 15–25 hours depending on how much base building and scanning you do, and co-op groups burn it slower (coordination overhead) but die less. The endgame is still forming — treat a completed run as a snapshot of the build, not the whole story.
Is Subnautica 2 finished?
No — it is in Early Access (EA v1.x), which means systems and content are still landing between updates. The August 2026 Buddy System update (EA 1.2) added proximity voice chat and player revives to the co-op mode. The roadmap section above tracks what has shipped and what the studio has announced; expect the guide to call out anything that is likely to change between updates.
Buddy System hotfix context
The 1 September 2026 hotfix updates save compatibility tracking and fixes multiplayer inventory, vehicle oxygen and base issues. Match the build and branch when comparing saves or planning a co-op session. Do not assume a save from a newer build can be opened in an older one.