The Next Subnautica Game is in Development

A job listing says that a "new science fiction world" is in the works, suggesting that we might visit an entirely new world.


Published: April 8, 2022 2:35 PM /

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Next Subnautica Game in Development cover

Unknown Worlds has quietly announced that the next Subnautica game is in development -- and it looks like this one might be going to a whole new planet.

Subnautica is an open-world survival crafting game with three unique twists: it's largely set underwater, it has a compelling story, and it's an open-world survival crafting game that was actually completed. It was followed by the expandalone Subnautica: Below Zero which was first revealed in mid-2018 and launched the following year. Now, a brand-new game in the franchise is on the way.

Next Subnautica Game in Development slice

What We Know About the Next Subnautica Game

The good news is that the next Subnautica game is in development. The bad news, however, is that there's a lot we don't yet know.

Let's start with the concrete details: Unknown Worlds is hiring a Senior Narrative designer to help shape the story of the third Subnautica game. The job listing notes that this project is "early in development," so it's unlikely that we're going to be learning much about the game for quite some time.

SENIOR NARRATIVE DESIGNER

Unknown Worlds is seeking a Senior Narrative Designer to join the team working on the next game in the Subnautica universe.  This person will collaborate closely with the team to tell compelling, dramatic stories in the context of the game experience, while also defining the history and lore of a new science fiction world and its alien inhabitants. This person has a unique opportunity to join the team early in development and help establish the narrative direction for a beloved franchise.

[...]

As for the game itself, there's one key phrase to highlight in the introduction to that job description: the next Subnautica game will take place on "a new science fiction world." The Subnautica games have already established that mankind is on several planets, so it looks like we have a good chance of visiting a new one entirely.

Unknown Worlds is also working on something called Project M, a turn-based strategy game that is in development. It's unclear if Project M is this new Subnautica game or something else entirely. If it is the next game in the franchise, we might not be getting the same experience as the first two titles.

Sadly, there's not much more in the way of useful information just yet. For now, there's plenty of fun to be had in the original games --  buy Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero for PC and consoles at the price of $29.99 each on their respective websites.

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A photograph of TechRaptor Senior Writer Robert N. Adams.
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One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N