Subnautica 2 has released its 1.2 update, adding a suite of features designed to enhance the game's multiplayer experience. The update, available today, August 19, introduces a "Buddy System" alongside several other cooperative gameplay additions.
Creative Director Anthony Gallegos detailed the changes in a video, outlining features such as Proximity Chat, Player Trading, Player Revives, and an all-new Tracking Tag. The proximity chat offers an in-game voice communication option that becomes more distorted with distance, simulating radio communication. Gallegos noted that this feature can contribute to the game's tension.
Players can now utilize emotes through a small menu, allowing for gestures like cheering, clapping, or expressing annoyance. The development team anticipates players will find creative and humorous ways to use these emotes out of context.
Inventory management has also been streamlined with the introduction of inventory sharing. This allows players to directly access and swap items with each other by standing behind a teammate, eliminating the need to drop items in the game world.
Survival is further supported by the addition of player revives. If a teammate is downed, other players can now share oxygen to bring them back to life.
To allow for greater player customization in multiplayer, two additional player characters, Grace and Jegna, have been added, along with two new suit colors. The developers plan to introduce more options as Early Access continues.
The Tracking Tag serves as a short-range beacon that players can place in the environment or within portable lockers, aiding in navigation and recovery. If a player dies with a tracking tag in their inventory, it will extend their black box signal, making it easier to locate lost items.
Improvements have also been made to the Heads-Up Display (HUD). Icons are now scaled down by default, expanding upon mouse-over to reveal full details. This change aims to reduce clutter, particularly when multiple beacons are present in a player's view.
Additionally, the update refines pinned recipes for a less confusing UI and enhances the base builder tool to provide clearer feedback on where construction is possible. These additions are part of a larger set of features in the 1.2 update, with further details expected in comprehensive patch notes.
Unknown Worlds is also actively developing the Early Access 2 update, which is slated to include a new region, an expanded story, new progression systems, and new vehicles. Early footage of this ongoing work was shown in the recent developer video. Gallegos emphasized the studio's commitment to involving players in the development process, stating that the team prioritizes fan feedback to create the best possible games.