Subnautica 2 Wiki Subnautica 2 Wiki
Menu
Update

Swimming Forward Moves Subnautica 2 Toward EA1.1

Unknown Worlds' June dev vlog shifts the update cadence from rapid hotfixes toward EA1.1, while Hotfix 3 already changes DLSS, creature behavior, Interior Wall costs, multiplayer rejoin behavior, and crash reporting.

Checked for
Early Access Hotfix 3 / EA1.1 planning
Last checked
2026-07-17
Source status
Officially confirmed · Official
Spoilers
Light
On this page

Player impact

What to do now

01

Unknown Worlds says it is moving from frequent rapid hotfixes toward the EA1.1 update.

Who should care
Players waiting for new content, co-op groups planning a return date, and guide writers deciding how often to retest launch-week advice.
What to do
Read this as the June preview, then use the Adaptive Measures and Hotfix 4 pages for the current shipped baseline.
Recheck
Roadmap and update pages should separate what this vlog previewed from what EA1.1 and Hotfix 4 later shipped.
02

Hotfix 3 already changes DLSS behavior, Interior Wall costs, Hammerhead and Tadpole behavior, Nibbler and Marrowbreach tuning, multiplayer rejoin behavior, Strike Armor stacking, ToS localization, and crash reports.

Who should care
DLSS users, base builders, Tadpole pilots, players testing creature pressure, co-op clients rejoining sessions, and anyone diagnosing startup or hard-to-reproduce crashes.
What to do
Use Hotfix 3 notes only to understand that historical change; confirm EA1.1 or later before treating an older workaround as current.
Recheck
Tadpole, no-weapons, Moonpool, and route-start pages should now account for EA1.1 changes instead of stopping at Hotfix 2 or 3.
03

The dev vlog previews smaller upcoming work on biomods, wreck gameplay, voice-over priority, PDA voice-log replay, emotes, proximity voice chat, and player customization.

Who should care
Biomod planners, lore players, co-op groups, accessibility-sensitive players, and anyone deciding whether to wait for social or quality-of-life features.
What to do
Use the Adaptive Measures page for shipped Biomod, wreck, and audiolog details; proximity chat remains an EA1.2 item rather than an EA1.1 guide step.
Recheck
Biomod, wreck, and audiolog explainers need an EA1.1 pass, while co-op voice guidance should wait for EA1.2 patch notes.
04

A later major content drop is planned around a new Collector Leviathan region with a new chassis, creatures, resources, and progression/story content, with the stated goal of letting players continue existing saves.

Who should care
Players who have finished the current build, spoiler-sensitive explorers, map users, resource-route writers, and players worried about restarting their save.
What to do
Keep your current save, but do not assume current Collector Leviathan routes, resource positions, or vehicle progression will stay final.
Recheck
Map, Tadpole, resource, and progression pages need version labels and a full retest when the new region ships.

Status update: this preview has been partly delivered

Unknown Worlds published Swimming Forward on June 4, 2026, after releasing Early Access Hotfix 3 on June 1. It was the bridge between launch hotfixes and EA1.1. EA1.1 has since shipped as Adaptive Measures, followed by Hotfix 4.

Use this page to understand the June preview and Hotfix 3 changes. For current troubleshooting, confirm EA1.1 or later and check the newer update pages first.

Hotfix 3 was the June baseline

Hotfix 3 is practical even though it is not a content expansion. It fixes DLSS crashes and settings persistence, upgrades DLSS to 4.5, restores Frame Generation where it was missing, reduces Interior Wall costs, and fixes several crash and multiplayer issues.

Creature and vehicle advice also needs a new version check. Hammerheads should no longer attack unpiloted Tadpoles, but the official note still says they can take an interest in Tadpoles. Hammerheads should also be attracted to Flares more reliably. Nibblers now see players from a shorter distance, circle longer before attacking, move more slowly, react more to the Multitool, and hit harder. Marrowbreaches hit harder too, but attack less often.

That made Hotfix 2-only advice stale in June. EA1.1 has since changed Vehicle Dock placement, Moonpool feedback, Tadpole behavior, Silver routes, and creature-tool reactions again, so current guidance must go beyond Hotfix 3.

What the EA1.1 preview became

Swimming Forward said Unknown Worlds was pivoting away from the rapid launch-hotfix pace and focusing on EA1.1. Adaptive Measures shipped on July 8, 2026.

The preview listed more passive Biomod slots, more early-game Biomod options, wreck improvements, voice-over priority, PDA voice-log replay, emotes, proximity voice chat, and more player customization. Adaptive Measures shipped the Biomod, wreck, voice-priority, and audiolog work. The official EA1.1 notes place proximity chat in the upcoming EA1.2 update.

That distinction matters for guide maintenance: Biomod and wreck routes now need an EA1.1 retest, while a co-op group still should not assume proximity voice chat is available.

Save players should wait for shipped details, not restart

The larger content preview is the part most likely to affect route pages. Unknown Worlds says the next major content drop will include a new region tied to the Collector Leviathan, a new chassis, new creatures, new resources, and progression/story content. The stated goal is for players to continue from their existing saves instead of starting over.

That is useful, but it is still not a promise that every current route, resource position, or creature behavior will stay stable. If you have finished the current build, keep the save and wait for the patch. If you maintain routes, maps, or resource pages, mark Collector-region claims and vehicle-progression claims for a full retest when the update lands.

What players are asking about

The community discussion around the dev vlog centered on the teased chassis, the Collector Leviathan region, proximity voice chat, PDA voice-log replay, and console settings. Adaptive Measures answered some of those quality-of-life questions, but the larger region and content drop remain future work.

The current player action is simple: keep the save, update to EA1.1 or later, and use this vlog only as historical context for features that have not yet shipped.

Sources used

Continue reading

Update Adaptive Measures Makes Biomods and Wrecks Worth Revisiting Early Access 1.1 expands Biomod progression, revises wreck exploration, adds sprinting and an FOV slider, improves Tadpole and base building behavior, and changes how audiologs work in multiplayer. Early Access 1.1 - Adaptive Measures Spoilers: light 2026-07-17 Update Hotfix 4 Clears Two EA1.1 Progression and Base Blockers Hotfix 4 fixes Angel Combs that would not open, water currents appearing inside bases, the missing Xbox FOV slider, and two crashes, with an important mod and Xbox rollout warning. Early Access 1.1 Hotfix 4 Spoilers: light 2026-07-17 Update Hotfix 2 Makes Early Routes Less Punishing Hotfix 2 adds more Silver and Troilite areas, tones down Hammerhead interest in Tadpole lights, fixes several vehicle and crash issues, and updates policy wording. Early Access Hotfix 2 Spoilers: none 2026-05-23 Update Early Access Roadmap Sets the Update Rhythm The first Early Access roadmap set the sequence: EA1.1 quality-of-life work has shipped, co-op improvements are next, and larger world and story expansions remain later goals. Early Access launch Spoilers: none 2026-07-17 Update Community Letter Responds to Launch Feedback The community letter addresses predator pressure, weak-feeling defensive tools, and how Subnautica 2 can stay non-combat while still feeling fair. Early Access launch Spoilers: light 2026-05-23 Guide How to Find Tadpole Fragments and Build the Vehicle in Subnautica 2 A step-by-step Tadpole route from the Lifepod, covering the three vehicle fragment scans, an easier backup fragment, required base scans, and the final crafting chain. Early Access Hotfix 1 Spoilers: light 2026-07-17