Subnautica 2 sells one million copies in first 24 hours following legal resolution
The title reaches fourth place on Steam’s concurrent player charts, surpassing major esports staples, as the studio enters a multi-year early access phase.
Subnautica 2 has sold more than one million copies within less than 24 hours of its early access launch, marking a significant commercial debut for the underwater survival game developed by Unknown Worlds. The title became available on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Xbox, quickly ascending to the top of Steam’s charts within an hour of release.
Current data indicates the game is the fourth-most played title on Steam, with over 460,000 concurrent players. This figure places it behind only Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and PUBG: Battlegrounds on the platform. The reported Steam player count excludes users on the Epic Games Store and Xbox, suggesting the total concurrent player base across all three platforms is likely higher.
The strong launch performance follows a period of uncertainty for the studio. Subnautica 2 was originally scheduled for an early access release in 2025 but was delayed following a legal dispute between Unknown Worlds executives and the studio’s owner, Krafton. The delay was attributed to feedback from playtests, though the conflict resulted in a significant hiatus for the project.
Resolution arrived in March when a judge’s ruling reinstated the studio’s chief executive officer and extended the eligibility window for a developer bonus. This legal development cleared the path for the current launch, which is the follow-up to the well-received Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero. Prior to release, the title had accumulated five million wishlists, making it the most-wishlisted game on Steam.
Unknown Worlds has indicated that the early access period is expected to last approximately two to three years. The studio’s ability to move forward with this extended development cycle marks a return to stability after the previous administrative and legal hurdles.
