The next installment in the Subnautica series has been more frequently discussed by fans in recent months, and Lead Artist Liam Tart has recently hinted that the community may not have to wait too long for the reveal of the next game.
The underwater exploration game and its sequel continue to harbor an avid fanbase, and comments from another developer suggest that the next Subnautica title will feature an early access period in the same way as its predecessors, reports GamesRadar.
Subnautica's unique charm as an underwater survival exploration game made it a standout and remarkably popular game following its official release, achieving an astounding caliber of success considering the relatively small team behind it.
Much of its appeal sprouts from the surprisingly unintentional horror aspect of the game, with players stuck on an oceanic alien world full of countless strange forms of life - including several species of massive and highly aggressive leviathans.
Much of the original game's cut content featuring arctic environments and more creatures was repurposed for use in Subnautica: Below Zero, a direct sequel to the first game and its events which officially launched in May 2021.
With Subnautica developer team Unknown Worlds hiring additional staff to work on "the next game in the Subnautica universe" since the previous game was released, along with occasional but cryptic tweets from members of the developer team that seem to hint towards another sequel, it's no wonder that the term "Subnautica 3" has been thrown around a lot among fans recently.
That said, excitement has built even further for the future of the franchise since Liam Tart, Lead Artist at Unknown Worlds, made a tweet on his personal Twitter account claiming that the team will have a lot of exciting content to show off for the next Subnautica game when it's ready.
While no further details or specific dates were given, it's apparent that development on the next game in the series is well underway - and fans could well see an official reveal sooner than expected.
Additionally, Subnautica animator and generalist developer Scott MacDonald, otherwise known as Obraxis, raised eyebrows even further after they replied to a fan's question in the tweet's comments. While any details regarding a future entry to the Subnautica series are far from being confirmed at this point, this interaction seems to suggest that the sequel will eventually involve a period of early access, similarly to the other Subnautica titles.
Subnautica: Below Zero did a remarkable job of expanding the game's universe, storytelling, and gameplay opportunities while simultaneously keeping the tone consistent with the original. Still, the differences seen in Below Zero were certainly enough to make it stand out as a sequel, leaving many invested fans curious as to what should be expected from the next game in the underwater exploration series.
