Subnautica 2 Early Access 1.2 is out now on PC, bringing a significant wave of cooperative multiplayer features, quality-of-life interface adjustments, and bug fixes to the underwater survival and crafting game.

Developer Unknown Worlds released detailed patch notes alongside the update, which highlights the introduction of the Buddy System. Alongside the patch, the studio announced a $100,000 donation to the ocean cleanup non-profit organization The Ocean Cleanup, continuing conservation support that began during the original game's development.

Confirmed Changes in Early Access 1.2

The latest patch implements heavily requested multiplayer mechanics and technical improvements:

  • Proximity and Cross-Platform Voice Chat: Multiplayer hosts can toggle between global and proximity voice chat, featuring realistic audio degradation as players move away from each other.
  • Inventory Sharing: Players can walk up to one another, access inventories directly, and swap items without dropping them into the game world.
  • Player Revives: Downed players can be brought back to life by teammates sharing oxygen before a full reprint occurs.
  • Tracking Tags: Short-range beacons can be placed in carryables or inventories to help locate lost items or return to caves.
  • Emotes: A new radial menu allows players to wave, clap, give thumbs up or down, or express frustration.
  • Character Customization: Two new player characters (Grace and Jegna) and two additional suit color schemes are now available.
  • UI and Base Building: Scaled HUD icons that expand on hover, clearer pinned recipes, alignment guidelines for base building, and a fully functional trashcan.
  • Performance and Hardware: New Frame Generation modes (5x and 6x) and dynamic frame generation for RTX 5000 series cards, alongside fixes for save file appearance crashes and power storage issues.

Affected Players, Platforms, and Save Files

The update affects all players currently participating in Subnautica 2 Early Access on PC. Multiplayer sessions benefit directly from the new proximity chat, direct inventory swapping, and synchronization fixes for bases and growbeds. Save files carrying over into 1.2 receive fixes for issues such as solar panel power persistence across multiple bases and visual glitches on constructed objects.

Action Required

Players need to download the Subnautica 2 Early Access 1.2 update through Steam. Upon first play following the update, a new Privacy Policy addition from July 15th will prompt a pop-up confirmation. Multiplayer hosts can configure the new voice chat settings directly within their session options.