Subnautica 2 developers have revealed details of their work on the co-op mode

Unknown Worlds Entertainment has published a new development diary dedicated to multiplayer in the highly anticipated Subnautica 2. The focus was on the technical and design aspects of implementing co-op play.

One of the key tasks was refining the animations. Since the game uses a first-person perspective, fully animated player character movements were previously unnecessary. However, with the introduction of co-op, where one player can see the other, the animators needed to create full and detailed movement cycles, including swimming, to ensure the models looked natural.

The developers emphasized that co-op mode was implemented as a completely optional element from the beginning to the end of the game. The team deliberately avoided introducing typical co-op mechanics that require mandatory synchronized actions from all players, such as simultaneously pulling levers. The goal was to preserve the freedom of exploration and gameplay characteristic of the series.