Subnautica 2 multiplayer and crossplay explained

A player swims with their friend in Subnautica 2 multiplayer — (Image credit: Unknown Worlds)

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How multiplayer works
Crossplay explained

It's the news you've waited for - Subnautica 2 has multiplayer, right from the early-access get-go. Despite isolation being part of what makes Subnautica so great, multiplayer was among the first game's most requested features. That's why, according to Unknown Worlds devs, the team worked on the new game with multiplayer in mind.

That doesn't mean the solo Subnautica 2 experience is any less haunting or satisfying, but it does mean that whichever way you want to play, you're covered. So, if you're looking forward to exploring the deep with friends, here's what you need to know about Subnautica 2 multiplayer.

How Subnautica 2 multiplayer works

To maintain the solo experience, you can rest assured that nothing in Subnautica 2 needs another two or more players to complete. However, the experience of exploring the vast alien ocean with others completely changes the experience, which is why it's great news that Subnautica 2 has a multiplayer mode from day one. Even better is that it's seamless to join and play you multiplayer world, with or without your friends.

To play with friends, you can either host or join a game, which plays out exactly like a single-player game, and the host and their friends can rejoin the game at any time. To invite friends, you can do so from your platform list or via an in-game friend code system.

You can even convert a single-player game into a multiplayer world from the main menu, so you don't have to sacrifice hours of work if someone joins later on, making this one of the most well thought out multiplayer experiences we've seen.

Subnautica 2 crossplay explained

A diver is lit up by an underwater vehicles headlights in Subnautica 2. — (Image credit: Unknown Worlds)

Since Subnautica 2 early access is available on both PC (across Steam and Epic Games) and Xbox, you might be wondering if you can play with friends on a different platform to you, too. Given how seamless multiplayer is, it will come as no surprise that Subnautica 2 is also crossplay enabled, meaning you can play with anyone else in-game.

To invite friends from other platforms, you must use the friend code system. Create your own friend code and sent that to your pals or invite them using theirs. Either way, it's super simple to get going.

So, get ready to dive in with friends as soon as the Subnautica 2 early access release time hits, when we'll be updating our site with helpful guides to keep you afloat.

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After studying Music and Lifestyle journalism and writing a column for a stylish lifestyle magazine in her hometown of Brighton, Danielle finally found her feet writing about videogames for WePC in 2021. She then honed her guides writing skills at PCGamesN between 2022 and 2026, when she took those skills to GamesRadar as a Guides Writer. Danielle's guides are a safe space - she definitely got stuck before you did, which is why she's perfect for the job. When she's not replaying the Silent Hill games or a more up-to-date single-player horror game, you'll find her fighting for her life in Dead by Daylight, tending to a garden in Stardew Valley, or doing both in Minecraft.