Subnautica 2 hype is driving a massive resurgence for the original game

As anticipation for Subnautica 2 reaches a boiling point, players are flooding back into the original Subnautica in massive numbers.

New data from PlayTracker, based on over 18,000 tracked players across Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox, shows the original game experiencing a major resurgence in monthly active users. Steam remains the dominant platform, with player counts climbing from roughly 280,000 monthly active users in December to peaks approaching 750,000 in April – likely boosted further by a free weekend promotion on Steam.

Console players are returning in force as well. Active users on both PlayStation and Xbox have roughly doubled over the past couple of months, suggesting that excitement around the sequel is reviving interest across the entire franchise ecosystem.

Fun Coincidence With “Deep Diver” Personality

One particularly amusing insight from the data is the dominant personality archetype among players: “Deep Diver”.

According to PlayTracker’s personality analysis, these players tend to focus intensely on a small number of games and invest significant time mastering them which is a fitting match for a series built around slow exploration, survival, and terrifying deep-sea discoveries.

Another strong personality signal among Subnautica fans is the “Indie Connoisseur”, highlighting the franchise’s continued popularity with players who actively seek out creative and niche gaming experiences.

Over 5 Million Wishlists for Subnautica 2

The timing of the resurgence is no coincidence. Subnautica 2 officially launches into Early Access on May 14, 2026, for PC and Xbox platforms. The sequel has already surpassed five million Steam wishlists, making it one of the most anticipated survival games currently in development.

Developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment says the new game will introduce optional four-player co-op, entirely new alien ocean biomes, upgraded base building systems, and expanded creature ecosystems powered by Unreal Engine 5. The Early Access period is expected to last between two and three years, with major updates planned throughout development.

The road to launch has been unusually dramatic. Over the past year, the project faced delays, executive shakeups, and even legal disputes involving publisher Krafton and the studio’s leadership team. Despite the turbulence, momentum around the game has only intensified in recent weeks as previews, gameplay reveals, and preload availability went live ahead of release.

For many players, however, the excitement starts with returning to the lonely oceans of Planet 4546B one more time. And judging by the numbers, hundreds of thousands of divers are already back beneath the waves.