Subnautica And Subnautica: Below Zero Switch Releases Confirmed

During Nintendo's latest Indie World Showcase today, Switch owners got quite the surprise: Subnautica and its sequel, Subnautica: Below Zero are both coming to the console. Switch owners have been asking for Subnautica ever since it came to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 at the end of 2018, and now it seems they're finally going to get their wish.

Or, at least, they'll get their wish sometime next year, as both Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero are slated to release in 2021. Nintendo and developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment didn't give a more specific release date that, but we're guessing Subnautica fans will be happy enough knowing that these games are coming to Switch for now.

Subnautica has been one of Steam's most enduringly popular survival games ever since it launched in early access in 2014. In it, you play as a spacefaring explorer in the far future who is stranded on an ocean planet and must survive the challenges the sea presents. Subnautica has more of a plot than many survival games do, but we won't get into that here so Subnautica newbies can go in unspoiled.

The sequel, Subnautica: Below Zero launched on PC in early access at the beginning of 2019 and remains in early access today. Below Zero returns players to the ocean planet, 4546B, featured in the first game, only this time, they're acting as a researcher in the planet's arctic regions. There's no word on when Below Zero may leave early access, but presumably, it'll be sometime before the Switch version launches next year.

So, there you have it: Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero are both launching next year on Nintendo Switch. We'll let you know when Unknown Worlds and Nintendo announce more about these games, so stay tuned for that.