Subnautica, developer Unknown Worlds’ exquisite deep sea survival game, is making its way to iOS and Android devices this July, meaning you’ll finally be able to play it actually underwater (as long as your phone is waterproof, so please do check that first).
Subnautica, for some context, originally lauched in 2018 after a couple of years in early access, taking players on a mostly combat-free adventure far, far beneath the waves after crash landing on the ocean planet 4546B. It managed to combine its various strands of exploration, narrative, crafting, base building, and thalassophobia-inducing horror into a deeply satisfying whole, and ended up being a critical and commercial hit. So much so that a standalone expansion – Subnautica: Below Zero – followed, and a sequel’s on the way.
But back to Subnautica’s iOS and Android release. It’s being created in collaboration with mobile developer Playdigious and promises the full-fat Subnautica experience – the one Eurogamer called “oppressively beautiful” and “well-wrought” back in 2018 – albeit with some mobile-specific tweaks. It’s got an updated UI, for instance, alongside touch controls and support for MFi controllers if you’d rather play with proper buttons. That’s in addition to iPhone 15 optimisation, GameCenter achievements on iOS, and cloud save support enabling progress to be share between iOS or Android devices.
If all that appeals, Subnatica comes to iOS and Android on 8th July (via the App Store and Google Play respectively) for the entirely reasonable price of $9.99 USD. In fact, it’ll be even cheaper for a limited time, given the 10 percent launch discount that’ll bring it down to $8.99.
As for Subnautica 2, that’s currently set to launch into early access later this year. Unknown Worlds shared a tiny bit of first gameplay back in April, showing off a handful of new environments, some new aquatic creatures, and even a bit of base-building and co-operative swimming. Co-op is, of course, the sequel’s big new feature, and it’ll support up to four players. Subnautica 2 will initially be available for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and GamePass, and is expected to stay in early access for “about two to three years.”