Subnautica 2 Hits 1 Million Sales Within Its First Hour of Release

Subnautica 2 has made a splash with its early access launch today, achieving remarkable success by selling one million copies within the first hour.

This achievement isn’t entirely unexpected for those who have been tracking the game’s development, but the figures are still impressive. As a direct follow-up to the acclaimed 2018 survival title, Subnautica, the excitement surrounding Subnautica 2 has been building since its announcement in 2022. The game garnered significant attention in 2025 due to some behind-the-scenes drama involving the developer and its publisher, which included a series of lawsuits and a delay pushing the release to 2026. Finally, Subnautica 2 launched into early access on May 14 for Windows PC and Xbox Series X.

The buzz remained strong throughout the wait. Just an hour after the game went live at 11 a.m. ET, the developer took to social media to share the news of the one million copies sold.

Currently, Subnautica 2 is particularly thriving on Steam, boasting over 460,000 concurrent players, making it the fourth most-played game at the moment, trailing only behind PUBG and significantly ahead of Apex Legends.

However, this figure doesn’t capture the entire player base, as the game also launched on Xbox Series X today, where it’s available in Game Preview through Xbox Game Pass. The sales announcement doesn’t include those enjoying the game via subscription, suggesting the total player count is likely even higher.

For those among the million-plus players diving into the depths today, be sure to check out some beginner tips to help you navigate the underwater world more effectively.

Nothing like dying a thousand times to remind you what being human means.