{"id":1936623,"date":"2026-05-15T09:03:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T06:03:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1936623"},"modified":"2026-05-15T09:03:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T06:03:17","slug":"subnautica-2-already-has-huge-concurrent-player-counts-and-has-swum-to-2-million-sales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1936623","title":{"rendered":"Subnautica 2 already has huge concurrent player counts and has swum to 2 million sales"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/subnautica-2\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Subnautica 2<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">Subnautica 2 already has huge concurrent player counts and has swum to 2 million sales<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Feeding frenzy.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/Subnautica-2-system-spec.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Multiple Pioneers can be seen exploring Subnautica's 2 starting biome.\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"Subnautica-2-system-spec.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Unknown Worlds<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Connor Makar avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/tAtwiaBo_400x400.jpg?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"374\" height=\"374\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Connor Makar avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"tAtwiaBo_400x400.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"374\" height=\"374\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/connor-makar\">Connor Makar<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Staff Writer<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\nPublished on <time datetime=\"2026-05-15T09:03:17+00:00\">May 15, 2026<\/time>              <\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">\n      <a class=\"comments__link comments-bubble\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/subnautica-2-sales-launch-one-million?view=comments\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n          13 comments<br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"9b751be1-bde5-4ecd-8081-2abe2cce45b9\" data-name=\"Subnautica 2\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Subnautica 2\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Subnautica 2\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Subnautica 2\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Subnautica 2\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Subnautica 2\" title=\"Follow Subnautica 2\"><br \/>\n  Follow Subnautica 2<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/subnautica-2\">Subnautica 2<\/a> has done exceptionally well following its launch into Early Access, quickly coasting to 467,000 concurrent players on Steam alone.<\/p>\n<p>The much-anticipated sequel to the oceanic survival series released in the later-half of yesterday, the 14th March. Quickly, a wave of players took to the game, <a href=\"https:\/\/steamdb.info\/app\/1962700\/charts\/\">hitting a peak of 467,582 concurrents<\/a> on Steam before tapering off in the evening.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"primis_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"primis_video\">\n<p><span class=\"embed_placeholder\" data-type=\"targeting\"><br \/>\n<span class=\"message\">To see this content please enable targeting cookies.<\/span><br \/>\n<button class=\"optanon-show-settings link\"><br \/>\nManage cookie settings<\/button><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Here&#8217;s the Subnautica 2 Early Access gameplay trailer.<a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5sU66p6w2P0\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Official <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/subnautica\">Subnautica<\/a> social media accounts <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Subnautica\/status\/2054955143825682616\">announced the game had sold over 1m copies<\/a> across all platforms &#8211; which include PC as well as Xbox Series X\/S. While writing this article, Unknown Worlds announced it had passed 2m sales within 12 hours of launching. The game is also available on Game Pass, though figures for how popular it is there  aren&#8217;t publicly known.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>For reference, the original Subnautica reached a lifetime peak of <a href=\"https:\/\/steamdb.info\/app\/264710\/charts\/\">51,156 concurrent players<\/a> on Steam years ago, so there&#8217;s a substantial increase in excitement around the sequel. Its follow-up <a href=\"https:\/\/steamdb.info\/app\/848450\/charts\/\">Subnautica: Below Zero had 42,115<\/a> peak concurrent players roughly five years ago.<\/p>\n<p>Things are also looking good when comparing Subnautica 2  side-by-side with its peers in the survival genre. Rust, the juggernaut of the genre, hit an all-time <a href=\"https:\/\/steamdb.info\/app\/252490\/charts\/\">PC peak concurrent player count of 262,284<\/a>, while the recent pirate plunder hit <a href=\"https:\/\/steamdb.info\/app\/3041230\/charts\/\">Windrose came in at 222,134<\/a>. The only recent survival release that has come close to those numbers is  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/dune-awakening\">Dune: Awakening<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/dune-awakening-hits-142000-concurrent-players-during-full-launch-smashing-past-record\">which had a similarly explosive launch last year<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This, obviously, is great news for Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds. Not only because a popular release is good for any game development studio, but because publisher <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/krafton-ceo-allegedly-asked-ai-to-brainstorm-ways-to-avoid-paying-earnout-bonus-to-subnautica-2-devs\">Krafton reportedly agreed to a hefty bonus package tied to the game&#8217;s performance<\/a> &#8211; one that Unknown Worlds leadership claimed was at the heart of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/more-subnautica-2-legal-trouble-brewing\">legal tussles  some time ago<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So it&#8217;s a darn good start for Unknown Worlds and Subnautica 2 as it begins its Early Access journey. Now of course the pressure is on to see if Unknown Worlds can maintain strong momentum as it sales (or perhaps dives) into the rest of the year. If you&#8217;re keen to find out what Subnautica 2 is like, you can read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/subnautica-2-has-hooked-me-on-an-irresistible-mystery\">Eurogamer&#8217;s Subnautica 2 preview<\/a> for some insight into what&#8217;s on offer with the game&#8217;s initial release.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/subnautica-2\">Subnautica 2<\/a> has done exceptionally well following its launch into Early Access, quickly coasting to 467,000 concurrent players on Steam alone.<\/p>\n<p>The much-anticipated sequel to the oceanic survival series released in the later-half of yesterday, the 14th March. Quickly, a wave of players took to the game, <a href=\"https:\/\/steamdb.info\/app\/1962700\/charts\/\">hitting a peak of 467,582 concurrents<\/a> on Steam before tapering off in the evening.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"primis_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"primis_video\">\n<p><span class=\"embed_placeholder\" data-type=\"targeting\"><br \/>\n<span class=\"message\">To see this content please enable targeting cookies.<\/span><br \/>\n<button class=\"optanon-show-settings link\"><br \/>\nManage cookie settings<\/button><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Here&#8217;s the Subnautica 2 Early Access gameplay trailer.<a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5sU66p6w2P0\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Official <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/subnautica\">Subnautica<\/a> social media accounts <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Subnautica\/status\/2054955143825682616\">announced the game had sold over 1m copies<\/a> across all platforms &#8211; which include PC as well as Xbox Series X\/S. While writing this article, Unknown Worlds announced it had passed 2m sales within 12 hours of launching. The game is also available on Game Pass, though figures for how popular it is there  aren&#8217;t publicly known.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>For reference, the original Subnautica reached a lifetime peak of <a href=\"https:\/\/steamdb.info\/app\/264710\/charts\/\">51,156 concurrent players<\/a> on Steam years ago, so there&#8217;s a substantial increase in excitement around the sequel. Its follow-up <a href=\"https:\/\/steamdb.info\/app\/848450\/charts\/\">Subnautica: Below Zero had 42,115<\/a> peak concurrent players roughly five years ago.<\/p>\n<p>Things are also looking good when comparing Subnautica 2  side-by-side with its peers in the survival genre. Rust, the juggernaut of the genre, hit an all-time <a href=\"https:\/\/steamdb.info\/app\/252490\/charts\/\">PC peak concurrent player count of 262,284<\/a>, while the recent pirate plunder hit <a href=\"https:\/\/steamdb.info\/app\/3041230\/charts\/\">Windrose came in at 222,134<\/a>. The only recent survival release that has come close to those numbers is  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/dune-awakening\">Dune: Awakening<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/dune-awakening-hits-142000-concurrent-players-during-full-launch-smashing-past-record\">which had a similarly explosive launch last year<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This, obviously, is great news for Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds. Not only because a popular release is good for any game development studio, but because publisher <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/krafton-ceo-allegedly-asked-ai-to-brainstorm-ways-to-avoid-paying-earnout-bonus-to-subnautica-2-devs\">Krafton reportedly agreed to a hefty bonus package tied to the game&#8217;s performance<\/a> &#8211; one that Unknown Worlds leadership claimed was at the heart of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/more-subnautica-2-legal-trouble-brewing\">legal tussles  some time ago<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So it&#8217;s a darn good start for Unknown Worlds and Subnautica 2 as it begins its Early Access journey. Now of course the pressure is on to see if Unknown Worlds can maintain strong momentum as it sales (or perhaps dives) into the rest of the year. If you&#8217;re keen to find out what Subnautica 2 is like, you can read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/subnautica-2-has-hooked-me-on-an-irresistible-mystery\">Eurogamer&#8217;s Subnautica 2 preview<\/a> for some insight into what&#8217;s on offer with the game&#8217;s initial release.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Subnautica 2 Subnautica 2 already has huge concurrent player counts and has swum to 2 million sales Feeding frenzy. Image credit: Unknown Worlds News by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on May 15, 2026 13 comments Follow Subnautica 2 Subnautica 2 has done exceptionally well following its launch into Early Access, quickly coasting [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-1936623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1936623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1936623"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1936623\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1936623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1936623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1936623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}