Unknown Worlds have finally announced the first expansion to their awesome underwater survival game Subnautica. The standalone expansion is called Below Zero and it adds a brand new location to the game which has been never seen before.
In announcement on their official website, Unknown Worlds are currently working on the expansion, which will follow the same direction as that of the original game and will enter Early Access. Since this is a standalone expansion, it will not require the original game and it will be listed separately on the store as well.
The developers want Below Zero to be in Early Access because they want to make the perfect game and the feedback they received for the previous game while in Early Access was vital for Subnautica’s successful launch. They want to have the same experience with the expansion. Their official words on their website are
In the coming months, we will release an unfinished, early version of Below Zero in Early Access. We will then begin releasing consistent content updates, carefully crafting the game based on your feedback – Just like the original Subnautica
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The concept of Below Zero is still developing. We are keeping the core gameplay mechanics, such as base building and open-ended exploration. We are also exploring new ones, such as thermal management, and more voiced dialogue at the core of the plot. We’re still in early stages and nothing is set in ice. These features may change prior to, and during, Early Access.
Below Zero will feature an icy region, which will be full of glaciers, ice bergs, brinicles and icy waters. We can assume that the new area will come with its own unique biomes, fauna and flora, which made the original title unique and amazing. One of the concept art images shows us a terrifying creature frozen in the ocean. The ice is only going to add a new level of terror and adventure in the game.
The images on the official website show just random locations from the upcoming expansion and do not tell much about the game at this point. As the game will enter Early Access soon, we can start exploring the game while it is under development.
Subnautica was first of a kind underwater survival game in which players after crash landing on a hostile planet, must scavenge the vast oceans on the planet to craft survival gear and explore the remains of a mysterious ancient civilizations all while trying to escape from the planet.
Subnautica was initially released on Steam as an Early Access game in 2014 and the developers listened to the player feedback and kept making the game better. The game was officially launched in 2018 as a full game when it came out of Early Access.
The developers have said that the expansion, Below Zero, will be added to Steam in the coming months as an Early Access title. We will keep you updated about the game and any further development about it.