A Deep Dive Into Subnautica's Success

Subnautica is one of the most well-known horror-survival games on the market, attracting hundreds of players even after more than 10 years following it's original release to the public. It's sheer development implications and the impressive world-building make it a title that, once played for the first time, attracts you to play it again just because of how beautiful and immersive it can get.

So, one might wonder :"How does it manage to remain relevant, even after so much time ?".We are here to give the exact answer to this question, while also offering general public opinions and in-game examples. So let's begin !

While still in the "Early Development" build, Subnautica was presented to some of the general public and was tackled down by big names that held, and still hold, massive recognition throughout the Youtube and video game communities - we are talking about big-shots like "jacksepticeye" and "Markiplier", who both tested and played the game in 2015 and offered mostly positive reactions towards it, prompting their respective followers to catch an interest for the game and boost it's overall player base significantly.

While not perfect ( since it was still in Developer Build ), the game offered a unique style of world-building and interesting idea - escape from an alien planet almost entirely made of water. Even on paper, this idea would be accessible even for novel writers and storytellers alike.

In an old article posted by one of the game's developers, Charlie Cleveland, all the way back in October of 2014, he stated that :

"[...] So we forced ourselves to release Subnautica as "Earliest Access" today, even though our hearts are screaming. There are bugs, warts and problems galore that we know about and know how to fix.[...],we knew that the best chances for success lie with making the best game we can make and that requires the most feedback, as early as we can get it."

(Read article here -> https://unknownworlds.com/en/news/subnautica-earliest-access-state-game)

So, even revealed by the developers, they were taking a big leap into the public's feedback regarding the game's release in such an early state.

Though, as history was soon to tell us, they made the correct decision.

Up until 2014, massive titles affiliated with the survival-game theme were booming the market, most recognizable ones holding value even to this day - we are talking about titles such as "Minecraft", "Terraria" and even "Don't Starve". While they had their ups and downs, there was no doubt that they were reaching significant player bases and that the general public enjoyed what they had to offer - moderate-to-complex survival mixed with combat and enemy entities.

Competing against such big titles was a huge scare for the developers, as if they did not meet what the public would seek from a survival-based game, all of their efforts would be wasted. Knowing this, and admitting to the fact that they want to make an original idea, they created what is known now as one of the few, if not even the only survival-horror game based on this type of world-building, knocking down other water-based games in the charts.

Even through thick and thin, Subnautica managed with the help of massive content creators and feedback from the player base along the years to receive the full release version in January of 2018. It managed to do so because it offered something that other survival games at the time didn't quite include, and that was the integration of fear and horror through the presence of the unknown and undiscovered.

This was something different.

Many new players were scared of the sheer atmosphere the game managed to give off whenever it was properly explored - exploration that was basically mandatory to progress the game. Going into depths that, at first playthrough, would not even be considered possible, was a turning point between fear of the unexpected and curiosity of what might lie deeper. There was just an eerie feeling whenever a first-time player entered a seemingly deep and dark abyss, where sunlight barely even reached them, if even, and they could see nothing around them except some bioluminescence or bubbles. That was the feeling that made Subnautica the success it is today.

The sound design was also top-notch, containing tracks that gave off the impact of an action movie, like "Abandon Ship", and others who just gave off the effect of the calm and ethereal in a never-ending sea, like "Salutations".

Alongside the storytelling through scattered PDA's on Planet 4546-B ( the planet the events take place ), the team put a huge amount of effort into building one of the most recognizable environments in video-game history. The world on 4546-B consists of multiple biomes, ranging from colorful and full of flora and fauna ones, like the Safe Shallows or Grassy Plateaus, to dark and devoid of life ones, like the Void or Crash Zone.

Whenever people will ask players what is one of the ups of this game, it's the quality of the art and the feeling each biome gives. Multiple creatures can be found in their respective biomes and they give the impression of real-life animals inhabiting respective regions based on altitude, depth, temperature and other factors. Also, the creatures found on 4546-B are beautifully crafted, both in terms of design and sound, to give off the feeling that they represent. Reaper Leviathan ? Huge size and roars. A small fish like a Peeper ? Cute and quirky sounds. All of these factors manage to offer diversity to the world of Subnautica, it's not all colorful and fun, but neither too dark and silent.

In one word, Subnautica's environments and creature designs can be summarized to - unique.

Subnautica remains, and most likely will remain, one of the most recognizable titles when it comes to horror-survival and water-based games on the market. Currently it is preparing for a third appearance, through the title of "Subnautica 2".

Subnautica is currently very well appreciated and it shows in reviews, such as 97% of players on Steam finding the game good and their reviews amounting to "Overwhelmingly Positive".

If someone you know hasn't played this game yet and is familiar with PC games, recommend it to them, it IS worth it.

Safe diving !