Subnautica 2 remains knifeless: Unknown Worlds promises better balance, but no weapons

Subnautica 2 has been in early access for less than a week, but the debate about the lack of weapons is heating up. Some players want to be able to eliminate hostile fish, while others cherish the vulnerability. Developer Unknown Worlds has now responded with an open letter: balance adjustments are coming, but knives and guns are not included.

In the letter, which appeared on Wednesday, the studio apologizes for earlier comments by a level designer. He said on Discord that anyone who wants to kill should play Sons of the Forest instead. 'That remark was inappropriate and we understand the frustration,' Unknown Worlds writes. 'We are actively working on improvements to creature behavior and the tools players can use to defend themselves.'

What changes?

The upcoming patches will adjust the aggression timing and range of predatory fish. Also, flares, survival tools, and interaction with vehicles and bases are being overhauled. The goal: make encounters fairer and more readable, without giving players the upper hand.

Yet the core remains: Subnautica is about vulnerability, exploration, and survival, not about traditional combat. 'We don't think players who want weapons are wrong. But our design only works if every encounter with a sea creature feels fair and exciting,' the letter states.

Players hoping for a harpoon gun or a knife will be disappointed. Instead, better defensive tools and smarter AI should remove the feeling of helplessness, without breaking the series' unique atmosphere.

I myself spent hours in the original wondering whether I dared to swim into a dark cave - it's precisely that tension that makes Subnautica special. But the balance has to be right. I hope Unknown Worlds finds that line, because a Subnautica where you can shoot everything is no longer Subnautica.

The patches will roll out in the coming weeks. Until then, players will have to make do with flares, clever routes, and a dose of patience.