Subnautica 2 “good to go” on Steam Deck and ROG Xbox Ally, says design lead, as system requirements revealed
Unknown Worlds Entertainment, the developer of Subnautica 2, has posted its final development vlog ahead of the early access launch on May 14. In the vlog, we finally have a look at the game’s system requirements for PC, and along with them, news about support for PC gaming handhelds. Design lead Anthony Gallegos says handheld owners are “good to go” on launch day.
The game has endured an unusually rocky development due to a legal dispute with publisher Krafton, forcing delays. References to Krafton have since been removed from the game’s Steam page. In any case, we’re just a week away from release, and hype is building up. PC system requirements have been released, but Unknown Worlds says it will continue to optimize.
Subnautica 2 should run on the Steam Deck without any problems
“If you’re planning to join the early access journey on Xbox Series consoles, ROG Xbox Ally series, or Steam Deck, you’re good to go.
[…]
We’re trying to support a diverse range of hardware. No hardware ray tracing is required, and this is really just our starting point. We plan to optimize the game even more over early access. Hopefully, this will enable as many of you as possible to join us.”
Anthony Gallegos, Design Lead on Subnautica 2
| Specification | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Graphics card (GPU) | GTX 1060 / AMD RX 5500 XT | RTX 3070 / RX 6700 XT |
| Processor (CPU) | Core i5-8400 / Ryzen 5 2600 | Core i7-13700 / Ryzen 7 7700X |
| Memory (RAM) | 12GB | 16GB |
| Video memory (VRAM) | 6GB | 8GB |
| Operating system | Windows 10/11 | Windows 11 |
| Performance target | 30 FPS @ 1080p, low preset | 60 FPS @ 1440p, medium preset |
Above are the minimum and recommended system requirements for the game. The developer vlog also details Ultra and ‘Ultra++’ requirements if you’re looking to play at 1440p or 4K with high settings. For the former, the RTX 4070 or RX 6900 XT is listed, while the RTX 5070 Ti or RX 7900 XTX are recommended for 4K gameplay at 60 FPS.
The Steam Store page also reveals that Subnautica 2 is Steam Deck Verified, with just one caveat at the moment. Bluetooth/USB controllers may not be enabled by default once connected, forcing players to manually switch the active controller in the Quick Access Menu (three-dot button). A simple fix, and if you plan to play with the built-in controls, this is not a problem anyway.
Subnautica 2 enters early access on May 14 for PC and Xbox Series X/S. It is expected to arrive on PlayStation 5 once it leaves early access, though Unknown Worlds says this may take “about 2 to 3 years”.
