Update 1.2 has finally arrived for Subnautica 2 and for fans of co-op, the studio has added a variety of highly requested and anticipated features to further improve the game. It’s been a lengthy road for Subnautica 2 since it started production back in 2022, marked by a number of controversies including a very public leadership change and lawsuit. While much of that has since been resolved, the game’s Early Access period has been successful already.
The chaotic nature of Subnautica 2‘s development, which included an attempt by Krafton to fire and replace the CEO and co-founders of Unknown Worlds, hasn’t been able to stop the momentum that the Early Access period gained. Launching into Early Access on May 14, Subnautica 2 has continued to gain momentum with new updates, features, selling 1 million copies, and the announcement that the Steam version shattered the previous record for the most played release in 2026, seeing over 460,000 players log in just hours after it became available. However, the launch was just the start as Unknown Worlds continues to build the game out with new updates.
Subnautica Update 1.2 Details
To celebrate the launch of Update 1.2, Subnautica 2 Creative Director Anthony Gallegos revealed all the new features inside the Buddy System patch. Thanks to the previously released Subnautica 2 Early Access roadmap, fans have known Update 1.2 would be focused more on the co-op side of the game. For many, the biggest piece of this update is the addition of Proximity Voice Chat, a popular online feature that allows players to communicate when nearby and then, when further apart, it’ll switch to a radio-style voice indicating the players are further out of range. The further the distance away that each player is, the more “strain” is put on the sound to signify the increasing range.
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In addition to proxy chat, Gallegos revealed emotes are now in the game, ranging from a variety of emotions, from a simple thumbs up to other expressive actions like clapping, showing frustration, pointing, and more. Inventory Sharing is also live within the Subnautica 2 Early Access period, allowing teammates to view and access each other’s inventory. This is valuable for quickly moving items without needing to drop the item and have the other player pick it up. Finally, players can now revive one another out in the world.
- Released
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May 14, 2026
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Language, Fantasy Violence
