Subnautica 2 reportedly sells more than 4 million copies in less than a week

Subnautica 2 is already looking like one of the biggest early access success stories of 2026. According to a report from Alinea Analytics, the game sold more than 4 million copies in less than a week after launch and generated an estimated $100 million in revenue. That follows an already huge opening, where Unknown Worlds’ sequel passed 2 million sales in less than one day.

The game is also reportedly the fastest selling new Steam release of 2026 so far when measured by its first five days on the market. Alinea Analytics says Subnautica 2 is selling three times faster than Crimson Desert, nearly twice as fast as Resident Evil Requiem, and 1.4 times faster than Slay the Spire 2.

Steam is driving most of the sales while Game Pass limits Xbox purchases

Most of Subnautica 2’s sales appear to be coming from Steam. The Xbox version has reportedly sold fewer than 100,000 copies, but that is not surprising because the game is available through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Many Xbox players can access it through their subscription, which reduces the need to buy it directly.

The Steam success also makes sense because the Subnautica community has always had a strong PC base. The report notes that Subnautica 2 had more than 5.5 million wishlists before launch. Wishlists do not always turn into sales, but in this case, they showed a large audience was waiting for the sequel.

The strong launch does not mean the early access period has been quiet. Unknown Worlds has already responded to player feedback about predator encounters and combat. Many players have asked for more direct ways to fight hostile sea creatures, but the studio does not plan to add lethal combat because it believes that would go against Subnautica’s core identity. Instead, it is working on better mitigation tools and balance changes for aggressive creatures.

This story is related to the earlier Subnautica 2 combat feedback update, but it is not the same report. The earlier update focused on why Unknown Worlds will not add traditional combat. This one focuses on the game’s sales momentum, Steam performance, and estimated revenue.

The commercial success may also have a major business impact. The report suggests that Subnautica 2’s early performance could strengthen the case for Krafton paying Unknown Worlds a $250 million bonus, which had been part of a legal battle involving Unknown Worlds’ co founders and Krafton.

For now, Subnautica 2 looks like a major hit even before its full release. Early access games can still lose momentum if updates slow down or community concerns grow, but Unknown Worlds has started from a very strong position. If the studio can keep improving the game while preserving the survival focus that made Subnautica popular, the sequel could remain one of 2026’s biggest sellers.