Can You Play Subnautica Multiplayer In 2024?

Summary Subnautica multiplayer isn't built into the game, but the Nitrox mod allows for up to 100 player support.

Setting up a Subnautica multiplayer server using the Nitrox mod requires some technical know-how.

The upcoming sequel to Subnautica will feature built-in multiplayer, but the Nitrox mod is the current option.

Subnautica seems like the perfect candidate for multiplayer. For one thing, it's a survival game with a special focus on crafting, base upgrading, and resource gathering. Those types of games typically play well with friends, mostly because it's possible to divide labor efficiently. Sending one player after Subnautica's Cave Sulfur while the other stays back at base crafting consumables can greatly speed along the process. Plus, it can be delightful to share in the joy - and occasional horror - of discovering Subnautica's vast, unexplored depths.

But looking through its menus, Subnautica doesn't present any obvious multiplayer options. There's no button to host a server, look for games, or invite friends. So it's not totally clear how Subnautica multiplayer works, if it exists at all. It's hard to tell whether it was ever an option, or if it was removed more recently so developer Unknown Worlds could focus on a Subnautica sequel. Here's everything to know about the possibility of playing Subnautica multiplayer with friends or randoms.

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Subnautica Multiplayer Doesn't Exist By Default

But The Nitrox Mod Makes Subnautica Multiplayer Possible

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Unfortunately, it's impossible to play Subnautica multiplayer with the base game alone. Subnautica is designed as a single-player experience. The overwhelming silence of the sea, the uncanny terror of strange creatures, the humdrum repetition of collecting and crafting - all exist to alienate the player. It gives the game a meditative quality: the player truly feels they're a stranger in a strange land. Their triumphs and failures are all their own, and after each they're left to marinate in their own thoughts.

However, there is a multiplayer mod for Subnautica with support for up to 100 players: Nitrox. It's absolutely free, and fairly easy to install; there's an easy installation wizard that'll guide players through the process. There's a little setup required after the fact, but the official Nitrox website provides all the information players need to get started. Joining is easy, and simply requires the host's IP address. Hosting a server is a little more complicated, since players will need to use port forwarding or a VPN in order to start their own Subnautica games.

Although setting up a VPN is easier, port forwarding may provide a more stable connection. Ultimately, it's up to the player's preference which option for hosting a Subnautica multiplayer server they use.

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Subnautica Multiplayer Isn't Perfect

But Subnautica 2 Multiplayer May Be

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Subnautica multiplayer is a nice option, but it has its flaws. For one thing, there are no official, dedicated Subnautica multiplayer servers. As outlined above, one player will have to host. That means players will have to know someone if they want to connect to a multiplayer server; there's no matchmaking or public server list. It's usually possible to find an open game through the official Nitrox Discord server, which is available through the Nitrox Community page. However, the player is at the host's whim: they can only play when the server's active.

What's more, Subnautica multiplayer - and Subnautica modding more generally - is only available on PC. Although Subnautica is available on a variety of consoles, including macOS, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, multiplayer is effectively PC-exclusive with no crossplay. In fact, modding is only available on the Steam version of Subnautica, so even Microsoft Store buyers are out of luck when it comes to Subnautica multiplayer.

Although Subnautica is Steam Deck-verified, the handheld can't access multiplayer because it can't install the Nitrox mod.

But there's hope, since Unknown Worlds has announced that it's working on a Subnautica sequel, and it'll be a live-service game with multiplayer. Don't worry, though: it's already been confirmed that Subnautica 2 co-op will be entirely optional, and it'll still be possible to play alone. There also won't be any subscription services or battle passes in the sequel. Unknown Worlds is using "live-service" in the simplest sense of the word, meaning only that Subnautica 2 will have multiplayer and receive regular updates after release.

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So, while Subnautica multiplayer is technically possible through the Nitrox mod, it's not a perfect system. It's strictly limited to certain versions of the PC release, and requires a fair bit of setup on the player's end. The sequel to Subnautica will attempt to address this problem with its live-service model, but that could be a long time coming. For now, anyone interested in Subnautica multiplayer will have to content themselves with the Nitrox mod.

Sources: Nitrox, Unknown Worlds