To answer the obvious question - I don't know whether this means it's not coming to Steam, Epic Games Store or other PC storefronts, but it sounds like it's a Microsoft-only joint for the minute.
Apparently the dude couldn't be bothered to check the steam store page:
The developers are careful to point out that if you're one of "those who prefer the eerily beautiful solitude of solo play, Subnautica 2 will still provide that familiar experience, and prove equally as challenging."
The problem is you can't go back to that well repeatedly. We've played the first two games. The unknown is pretty well known at this point. It's like monster horror movies: none of the sequels are any good unless they pull an Alien/Aliens and switch genre to action.
BZ really kinda doubled down on the worst aspect of the first game (the focus on the alien race) and killed the best part (the scared and alone vibe), that's not a good sign imo.
Below Zero scratched a bit of the Subnautica itch, but it didn't reach the same highs. Hopefully Subnautica 2 can somehow recapture some of the magic of the first one.
Pleeeease let the second game be alone with no other characters other than if you’re playing multiplayer. The writing in BZ was uhhhhhh okay. I gave Subnautica an 8/10 but BZ a 6/10. On the real scale, not the stupid-ass game review scale. 6/10 is a good game with flaws.
They've got Seth Dickinson as part of the writing team and literally everything I've read of his is fantastic, including game stuff and his novels and short stories, so I'm hopeful.
BZ went from a solid 8 to a low 3 for me when they removed all emotional attachment you had after they decided they couldn't do anywhere with their story when it was in beta. The new story they filled it with I just couldn't get into.
But yea, they so need to have no other people for the immersion factor
My favorite thing about Subnautica was the awesome Cyclops sub you could literally build a base inside of. It made me crave more survival games where you have a mobile base like that and Below Zero really fell flat with their main sub you couldn't build in.
Totally, I was a bit disappointed that this wasn't straight needed. I think if they make a MUCH bigger map (and I think they could do that with just open ocean, the ocean is big) and have that mobile base take a much larger role. That would be dope as hell.
The first one had one advantage the others will never have, it was brand new, everything was new. Any other that comes out you'll have expectations. It needs to be better to even match how good it felt to play for the first time.
unless they scrap all the below zero garbage I'm passing on it. I loved subnautica 1 but like they absolutely killed zero's story and if they do the same with sub 2 then I am not interested. Below zero just didn't have the subnautica feel to it.