Analysts from Alinea Analytics report that Subnautica 2 is off to an impressive start in early access. According to the company’s estimates, the game has already sold more than 4.1 million copies in under a week.
Most of those sales came from Steam, where the game reportedly moved around 4 million copies. Xbox sales were below 100,000 units, though the title is also available through Game Pass.
Thanks to Game Pass availability, another 2.4 million players across Xbox, Windows, and cloud platforms have already tried the game, bringing the total player count to more than 6.5 million users.
Alinea Analytics also noted that the game had around 5.5 million Steam wishlists before launch, but only a relatively small percentage converted into purchases during the first week. According to the estimates, fewer than 9% of wishlisted users have bought the game so far, which the analysts describe as typical for major releases.
The firm also called Subnautica 2 the fastest-selling Steam game of 2026 so far. Within its first five days, it reportedly outperformed Slay the Spire 2, Resident Evil Requiem, and Crimson Desert in sales pace.
The report also highlighted the game’s strong reception among players. The current Steam review score sits at 91% positive, with users praising the underwater atmosphere, visuals, improved base-building systems, and the new four-player co-op mode.
However, some players have criticized the lack of weapons and limited ways to defend themselves from hostile creatures. The debate intensified after level designer Artyom “Artie” O’Rielly stated: “We aren’t a killing game. Go play Sons of the Forest or something if you want to kill.”
At the same time, lead game designer Anthony Gallegos said the team is listening closely to community feedback regarding player defense options.
The developers have already shared an early access roadmap that promises new biomes, creatures, vehicles, tools, story content, and further co-op improvements in future updates.
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