Getting Started: First 30 Minutes
Subnautica 2 entered Early Access on May 14, 2026 on Steam (PC & Xbox Series X|S) at $29.99.
Story: You are an Altera pioneer aboard the CICADA, bound for planet Zezura. The ship crashes. You wake from 14 years of cryosleep…
Core Principle
Three priorities: Scanner > Habitat Builder > Tadpole. Survive → Build a base → Explore the ocean.
Step 1: Gather Basic Resources
The Kelp Forest around your Lifepod is your first resource zone.
| Resource | Source | Early Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Titanium | Metal salvage, seabed scrap | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Quartz | Coral domes (10-30m deep orange spheres) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Copper | Cave below Lifepod (0-40m), limestone outcrops | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Salt | Common on seabed | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Acidic Raion Pouch | Harvest/kill Raion creatures | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
WARNING
The initial fabricator on your Lifepod can craft the Survival Multitool (harvest plants + mine minerals).
Step 2: Build Scanner + Standard Air Tank
- Scanner = Titanium × 2 + Quartz × 2 + Basic Battery × 1
- Basic Battery = Copper × 2 + Acidic Raion Pouch × 1
- Standard Air Tank = Titanium × 2 + Rubber × 1 + Silver × 2
The Scanner is the game's core — scan fragments and creatures to unlock blueprints and databank entries.
Step 3: Build Fins + Flashlight
- Basic Fins = Rubber × 2 + Fiber × 2
- Flashlight = Titanium × 2 + Quartz × 1 + Basic Battery × 1
Rubber comes from Lucifer Rotsac, a glowing yellow plant. Find it ~84m from the Lifepod at heading 120°, depth ~12m.
Step 4: Get the Habitat Builder
Habitat Builder = Titanium × 2 + Glass × 1 + Basic Battery × 1 + Copper Wire × 1
Scan 2 broken Habitat Builders near Gene Donor (~160-225m from Lifepod) to unlock.
Once you have it, immediately build a Corridor (Titanium × 5) for:
- Oxygen refill point
- Storage (build lockers)
- Fabricator + Processor + Solar Panel
Step 5: Unlock Genetic Adaptations
Visit the tutorial Sampling Kiosk and interact with the purple creature to unlock Pressure Adaptation — enables diving to 600m.
Also find Angel Comb to unlock:
- Digestion Adaptation — safely eat alien food
- Heat Tolerance — survive in Hydrothermal Vents
Step 6: Build Wakemaker + Tadpole
- Wakemaker = Silver × 1 + Grease × 1 + Basic Battery × 1 + Wiring Kit × 1
- Scan outpost fragments to unlock
- Tadpole = Titanium Ingot × 2 + Glass × 1 + System Chip × 1 + Power Cell × 1
- Scan 3 Tadpole fragments to unlock
The Tadpole requires a Tadpole Dock = Titanium Ingot × 2 + Silver Ingot × 1 + Copper Wire × 2.
Step 7: What's Next?
- Explore deep Coral Gardens for Silver and Gold (50-200m)
- Enter Zezuran Desert Hot Caves for Lithium (200-250m, need Heat Tolerance + Tadpole)
- Head to Overgrown Ruins for Celestine and advanced blueprints (200-400m)
- Upgrade Tadpole depth modules → explore deeper zones
Never Do This
- ❌ Enter Sparse Plains without a vehicle (Collector Leviathan territory)
- ❌ Enter deep caves without Beacons (easy to get lost and drown)
- ❌ Go to Hydrothermal Vents without Heat Tolerance (constant damage)
- ❌ Carry too many rare resources on exploration runs (lose everything on death)
Co-op Tips
Game supports 4-player online co-op:
- Teammates can revive each other
- Resource gathering is shared (partial duplication)
- Leviathan aggro scales with player count
- Suggested roles: 1 base builder + 1 scout + 1 gatherer + 1 scanner