Choose Subnautica
Choose Subnautica if you want an Indie game with VR Supported. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96.9% positive across 177,256 reviews.
Subnautica vs Subnautica 2
Subnautica and Subnautica 2 both land in Adventure on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Adventure games on Steam. Subnautica (2018) is 8 years older than Subnautica 2 (2026). Subnautica scores higher on Steam reviews (96.9% positive) than Subnautica 2 (91.2% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Subnautica 2
Choose Subnautica 2 if you want an Action and Early Access game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Adjustable Text Size. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 114,540 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Subnautica and Subnautica 2 sit in Adventure on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Subnautica |  Subnautica 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2026 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Action, Adventure, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 29.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.9% positive (177,256 reviews) | 91.2% positive (114,540 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Unknown Worlds Entertainment | Unknown Worlds Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both are Adventure games on Steam.
- Subnautica (2018) is 8 years older than Subnautica 2 (2026).
- Subnautica scores higher on Steam reviews (96.9% positive) than Subnautica 2 (91.2% positive).
- Subnautica 2 is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Subnautica (29.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Subnautica 2 has co-op; Subnautica does not.
- Both are Deck Verified.
Subnautica vs Subnautica 2 — FAQ
- Which is better, Subnautica or Subnautica 2?
- On Steam reviews Subnautica scores higher (96.9% positive) than Subnautica 2 (91.2% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Subnautica is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Subnautica or Subnautica 2 first?
- If you want chronology, Subnautica (2018) came out before Subnautica 2 (2026). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Subnautica and Subnautica 2 similar?
- They overlap on Adventure on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Subnautica have multiplayer like Subnautica 2?
- No. Subnautica 2 supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Subnautica is listed as single-player only.
- Do Subnautica and Subnautica 2 both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.