Subnautica 2's Release Date Reveal Forces Outbound Dev to Move Up Its Launch

With Subnautica 2 finally getting a May 14 early access release date, it seems Steam's most-wishlisted game has joined the ranks of hits like Hollow Knight: Silksong and Slay the Spire 2 by causing some games with the same launch date to scramble and adjust their plans.

Despite a painfully public fallout between developer Unknown Worlds and publisher Krafton—during which the entire management team was fired (Krafton has since been court-ordered to reinstate CEO Ted Gill)—the hugely anticipated sequel Subnautica 2 will finally emerge from stasis later this month. However, giving just two weeks' notice has caused quite a stir. As PC Gamer reports, some games have already tweaked their release schedules, with some, like Outbound, moving their launch dates forward to avoid clashing with the Subnautica sequel.

"The highly anticipated title Subnautica 2 just revealed their release date—which falls exactly on our planned release date May 14," the team at Square Glade Games said on Steam. "Even though we are very hyped for their game and big fans of the franchise, we think that it is best not to compete with such a highly anticipated title on that day.

"We need to dodge the Leviathan, which means you can start your road trip earlier! With Subnautica 2 launching on May 14th on Steam and Xbox, Outbound will now release earlier on May 11th on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Xbox—with the other consoles following on May 14th!"

The clamor for Outbound is pretty impressive too, with the cozy base-building game sitting at a not-too-shabby number 13 on Steam's Most Wishlisted chart. And while not all games slated for May 14 have announced plans to deviate from that date, it's a testament to how crucial a well-timed release really is, especially for smaller and indie devs.

Subnautica 2 is an open-water survival game from the creators of the original Subnautica series, where you can play alone or with friends, explore alluring biomes, discover fascinating creatures, and craft vehicles, tools, and bases to survive this mysterious alien world. You'll be able to jump in via early access on PC and Xbox Series X/S on May 14.