Trending Now - Subnautica 2 Sparks Debate on Fish Defense Mechanisms

WHO:

IGN - Unknown Worlds is the developer of Subnautica 2.

Eurogamer - Lead game designer Anthony Gallegos is involved in the development of Subnautica 2.

Eurogamer - Level designer Artyom "Artie" O'Rielly stated the game's philosophy.

WHAT:

IGN - Subnautica 2 sold 2 million copies in just 12 hours.

IGN - The game does not allow players to kill any fish directly.

IGN - Players can use flares to deter fish but cannot kill them.

Eurogamer - Players have expressed frustration over the inability to defend themselves against aggressive fish.

Eurogamer - The game features a strong theme of pacifism, avoiding violence against fish.

WHERE:

IGN - The game is set in an alien underwater environment.

WHEN:

IGN - A future update will focus on improving the co-op experience.

IGN - The first update will include quality-of-life fixes.

WHY:

IGN - Unknown Worlds aims to avoid allowing players to conquer or dominate the environment.

Eurogamer - The developers want to challenge players to find ways to avoid threats rather than kill them.

HOW:

IGN - Players can gather small fish as resources but cannot kill them directly.

Eurogamer - Players are currently limited to using flares and evasion techniques to deal with aggressive fish.

(UPDATED May 19, 2026 08:09 UTC)

Subnautica 2, developed by Unknown Worlds with lead game designer Anthony Gallegos, has made a splash by selling 2 million copies in just 12 hours. Set in an alien underwater environment, the game emphasizes a philosophy of pacifism, allowing players to deter aggressive fish with flares but not kill them, which has led to some frustration among players. A future update is planned to enhance the co-op experience, along with quality-of-life fixes, as the developers aim to challenge players to navigate threats without resorting to violence.