Subnautica 3 is set to once again plunge players into alien waters and, going by a financial report from PUBG and The Callisto Protocol publisher Krafton, it’s aiming for an early 2025 release date.
Earth’s oceans are terrifying enough when you consider how alien they can be and how little we’ve actually explored them. Underwater survival game Subnautica, released in 2018, dialled this concept up to 11 and plunged you into an actual alien ocean. Its 2021 sequel, Subnautica: Below Zero, sent you to a much frostier region of the same alien planet, adding hypothermia to the list of things that could kill you. Now, it sounds like Subnautica 3 is finally on its way.
And while we’ve known of its existence for a while (it was confirmed back in April), an earnings update from publisher Krafton has given us a planned release window.
As spotted by Rock, Paper, Shotgun, nestled away in the publisher’s presentation is the news that “The Next Subnautica” will be released in the first half of 2025. Technically, that could be as late as June 30 but I’m hoping it’s sooner rather than later.
It’s possible we might even see it sooner. Both Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero were released into Steam Early Access, though nothing has been confirmed for Subnautica 3.
But I still can’t wait to get my hands on this. The Subnautica games do have stories but the real joy of them is just exploring the depths and, if you dare, building your own base in the blackness. Let’s face it, a house isn’t home unless you can see a colossal Leviathan swimming past your window, one fin clipping through the wall.
I’ve got my fingers crossed that Subnautica 3 gives us the submarine back. Subnautica: Below Zero had its sea truck, which made sense given how small and windy some of the areas were. But there’s something wonderfully eerie about roaming around in a massive tin can. You can expect Unknown Worlds to reveal more next year.
In the meantime, you might want to try some of the other best sandbox games, or maybe get a bigger dose of underwater scares courtesy of the greatest horror games on PC.
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