Ethan Crossfield 
If you play Subnautica 2 in co-op or you’re waiting for a more polished survival loop, the game’s first major Early Access update is worth your attention. It adds two new Biolabs, expands Biomods, and tweaks co-op audio log behavior so one player’s discoveries don’t disrupt the rest of the session—while the studio also highlights rapid early success, passing 5 million copies sold within a month of Early Access launch.
What’s new in Subnautica 2: Biolabs, Biomods, and exploration upgrades
Unknown Worlds has released the game’s first community-driven Early Access update, aiming to refine core systems while expanding exploration and progression. The headline additions are two new Biolabs: Coral Gardens and Axum Ruins. Alongside those locations, the update increases the number of Biomods available, raising the count from 4 to 6.
There’s also a new way to expand your options mid-run. By scanning creatures with the Bioscanner, players can unlock additional passive Biomod slots in Subnautica 2, giving more incentive to engage with the game’s scanning and creature-knowledge loop.
Beyond those major features, the update includes a set of quality-of-life improvements that touch multiple parts of the survival experience. Among the changes are additions to oxygen-based puzzles and more routes in wrecks, plus the ability to sprint while outside the water. The studio also improved building placement for several structures, introduced a dedicated storage building, and adjusted creature behavior, rendering, and the user interface.
Who’s affected: co-op players get session-friendly audio logs
Co-op sessions are a major focus of this update. Audio logs no longer trigger automatic playback when picked up. Instead, they can be accessed manually through the PDA Databank. The change is designed to prevent one player’s discovery from interrupting everyone else’s session—an important quality-of-life adjustment for teams coordinating exploration.
The update’s broader co-op and survival tuning also includes sprinting outside the water, which can affect how quickly co-op groups reposition between tasks, as well as the building and storage improvements that make shared bases easier to manage. For players who build and organize together, better structure placement and a dedicated storage building can reduce friction when multiple teammates are contributing materials.
What comes next: community feedback stays central in Early Access
Executive Producer Fernando Melo says the team’s goal with this update is to improve the game’s opening hours and strengthen the core systems before continuing to expand the overall experience. Unknown Worlds also reiterated that it plans to keep developing Subnautica 2 alongside the community throughout Early Access, with player feedback continuing to shape future updates.
The update lands alongside a significant milestone for the title: Subnautica 2 has surpassed 5 million copies sold less than a month after launching in Early Access. The studio’s release timing and the scale of early sales underscore how quickly the game has gained traction as a leading survival title in 2026.
Finally, the source notes major leadership and internal developments tied to a long-running controversy. After months of legal battles over a $250 million bonus arrangement between Unknown Worlds and publisher Krafton, the publisher agreed to a settlement that includes bonuses for Unknown Worlds employees, including staff who joined after the studio’s 2021 acquisition. At the same time, CEO Ted Gill stepped down, with both sides indicating mutual agreement that new leadership was the best path forward.
What players should know
- Two new Biolabs are now available: Coral Gardens and Axum Ruins.
- Biomods increased from 4 to 6, expanding build and progression options.
- Scan creatures with the Bioscanner to unlock additional passive Biomod slots.
- In co-op, picking up audio logs no longer auto-plays them; use the PDA Databank instead.
- Expect more oxygen-based puzzle content in wrecks, plus sprinting outside the water and improved building placement.
| Update focus | Change mentioned in the source |
|---|---|
| New content | Coral Gardens and Axum Ruins Biolabs added |
| Progression systems | Biomods increased from 4 to 6; passive slots via Bioscanner |
| Co-op quality-of-life | Audio logs no longer auto-play on pickup; PDA Databank access instead |
| Exploration and survival | More routes and oxygen-based puzzles in wrecks; sprint outside water |
| Base building and UX | Improved building placement; dedicated storage building; UI updates |
Expert View
This update reads like a deliberate “foundation first” release: it expands Biolabs and Biomods, but it also targets friction points that can break momentum in co-op—especially the audio log interruption issue. The 5 million sales milestone suggests players are showing up in force, and the studio’s stated plan to keep iterating via feedback is aligned with that momentum. If you care about team play and smoother progression early in a run, the changes to co-op audio and the opening-hours focus make this a practical reason to return or start playing now.
