This article's aim is to provide a timeline of the various updates to the stable version and the most important additions of certain updates.

Microsoft Code to Content program (selling keys in retail)

Full documented project postmortem

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August 5th, 2020

Performance and lots of under-the-hood improvements

Improved world streaming: You should no longer be able to outrun terrain or fall through the world in a PRAWN suit

Hardcore mode: Low oxygen will no longer warn you

Rocket platform physics issues addressed

Fixed Lifepod ping not staying disabled on game load

Fixed base pillar bug

Fixed PRAWN suit stuck in air if built far away

Fixed quality issue with clouds

Fixed clipmap settings for PC & Mac

Fixed fade-in of some props

Disabled managed code stripping for mod support

Updated translations

December 11th, 2019

Many bug fixes and improvements

Unity engine upgrade

Comprehensive list of fixes here

April 23rd, 2018

Fixed ingredient tooltip sometimes only showing the first three ingredients

Fixed Cyclops upgrade station text display

Fixed Cyclops upgrade station depth module icons

Fixed Cyclops thermal upgrade icon

Fixed physics bug with luggage bags in Cyclops

Fixed exiting vehicles while in ESC menu

Fixed enzyme cure ball being pickupable

Fixed kyanite crystal model

Fixed build drones bug with mobile vehicle bay

Fixed exosuit animation bug

Updated lots of translations

March 8th, 2018

Main menu button texts update correctly when switching languages

In-game menu button text colors fixed

F8 panel fully translated

Cyclops flooding leak indicators now clearly outside of the hull

Controller navigation and selection boxes fixed

Builder menu usable with swapped mouse buttons

Lifepod fabricator lighting fixed

Cyclops hatch door collider fixed

Disallow poster placement where wall lockers are disallowed

Non-localized text removed from color customization terminal

Physics bugs with ion cubes and precursor keys fixed

End-game achievements now trigger

Lost river creatures now immune to brine

Player mask now correctly lit

Can not despawn Aurora by building a base next to it anymore

Seamoth hatch animation fixed

Changing quality settings in game reminds player to restart the game

Time capsule UI simplyfied

Pathfinder tool recipe adjusted

Entering exosuit while sprinting fixed

Official Release

January 23rd, 2018

Subnautica is officially completed and out of Early Access

Neptune Escape Rocket added

Ending sequence added

Time Capsule implemented

The Quarantine Enforcement Platform can now be disabled

December 7th, 2017

October 31st, 2017

Multiple bugs removed

Improved performance

October 5th, 2017

Multiple bugs fixed

Achievements removed

September 14th, 2017

Subnautica Ghost Update

August 21st, 2017

Ghost Leviathan added

Crash Zone Mesas added

Power Transmitter model added

Mountains/Bulb Zone Lost River Cavern added

PDA Interface enhanced

New Tooltips to indicate ingredients for recipes

Lifepod First Use Animations

Sea Treader Feces model implemented

New Cyclops Upgrade Module Slots

New Reaper Leviathan model added

Enzyme 42 model and cure animation added

Quarantine Enforcement Platform deactivation sequence added

Sea Emperor Leviathan (Babies) added

Sea Emperor Leviathan (Juveniles) added

New Sparse Reef and Dunes Wrecks added

Inactive Lava Zone tunnel in Crash Zone removed

Knives no longer damage bases

Crafting Tree reworked

Reaper Leviathan roar animation

Gravsphere renamed to Grav Trap

Lights added in Disease Research Facility Cavern entrance

Blood Kelp Trench widened

Tree Cove Lost River Cavern widened

Prawn Suit sit animation

Voice of the Deep

Subnautica Voice of the Deep Update

Subnautica Voice of the Deep Update Teaser

June 21st, 2017

Subnautica Silent Running Update

April 28th, 2017

Subnautica Infected Update

March 2nd, 2017

Subnautica Castles & Coffee Update

January 26, 2017

Subnautica Precursor Update

December 15, 2016

Subnautica Bones Update

Subnautica Xbox Bones Update

October 27, 2016

Dangerous Creatures

Subnautica Dangerous Creatures Update

September 22, 2016

Subnautica PRAWN Update

August 23rd, 2016

July 6th, 2016

Improved Performance

VR Bug Fixes

Xbox Controllers can be used on the PC

Main Menu updated

Subnautica Power Nap Update

Subnautica Xbox Update 2

June 1st, 2016

Subnautica Machinery Update

May 6th, 2016

Scanner Room

Bioreactor, Nuclear Reactor and Thermal Plant remodeling

Cyclops 2.0 The default depth has been increased from 200m to 500m Proximity sensors have been added to assist with navigation Lockers on lower deck are now functional Added exterior stationary hull cameras that can be accessed while driving New hatch animations means the hatch opens and closes when approached

Crabsquid

Added the Northen Blood Kelp Zone

Fauna that are eaten or killed will respawn

Waterproof Locker gets new model, features and animations

April 5th, 2016

Oculus Rift is now fully supported

You can now sit in all the Chairs and on Benches

Sitting in Chairs and on Benches slows down food and water depletion

Airsack, Boneshark, Reefback, Stalker, and the Reaper Leviathan have new and better animations

Fragments will now spawn mostly within Wrecks

Oxygen is now only produced when your Seabase, Seamoth, and Cyclops has power

Different sound effects for multiple Tools

Main Menu has a new background

(Xbox One release): Crash Sequence

March 16th, 2016

Subnautica Crash Sequence

Subnautica Xbox Update 1

Farming

Subnautica Farming Update

February 25th, 2016

Flood Of Dead Bugs

January 28th, 2016

Floodlight added

>50 bugs fixed

Location accurate lighting (lots of objects now don't reflect the Safe Shallows anymore)

Subnautica H2.O Update

January 14th, 2016

Massive overhaul of water graphics

Scanner added

Ocean environment updated

Items now have proper 3D models

Subtitles added

Language support added

New Fragment system

PDA Data Bank and Encyclopedia added

Message log in PDA

Get Wrecked

December 15th, 2015

Get Wrecked Explorable Wreckage

The first Wreck added

Laser Cutter added

NS2 Poster added

Water Filtration Machine

November 20th, 2015

Subnautica Water Filtration Machine

November 5th, 2015

Shocking Subnautica Update

September 10th, 2015

Subnautica Seamoth Update

Subnautica Habitat Update

August 6th, 2015

June 19th, 2015

Subnautica Alterra Science Update

May 28th, 2015

Subnautica Crash Site Introduction

April 30th, 2015

Subnautica Habitat Update

March 13th, 2015

New Loot System

February 25th, 2015

Loot system updated

Cyclops Introduction

Subnautica Cyclops Submarine Introduction

February 5th, 2015

Cyclops added Seamoth can now be docked (inside Cyclops) Cyclops is nameable



Subnautica Dev Update 8 (Jan 2015)

January 16th, 2015

In-game feedback system added

Stasis Rifle added

Terraformer added

Load/Save added

Menu updated

Pipes added

Air Bladder added

Bleeder added

Boneshark added

Compass added

Current Generator added

Inventory system updated You can now dump unwanted loot much easier

Beacons are added and craftable

HUD elements updated

Subnautica Dev Update 7 (Dec 2014)

December 23rd, 2014

Gravsphere added

Lifepod 5 storage added

Now supports Oculus Rift DK2

Storage Cubes added

Oxygen replenishes faster

Lifepod Beacon now doesn't disappear from far distances

Gasopods now release more defensive gas when you approach them

Fixed the problem when PCs with Nvidia SLI setups don't see the oxygen bar

Lifepod 5's Beacon is now visible from farther distances

Oxygen now replenishes more quickly at the surface

Large Creature's AI is now improved

Early Access Release

Subnautica Early Access Trailer

2014 December 16:

Subnautica Early Access released

2014 December 7

Flare and Sand Shark added to Subnautica

2014 November 22

Floater added to Subnautica

2014 November 14

Deformable environment added

2014 November 5

Experimental Mode is added to Subnautica

2014 September 27

Gasopod is added to Subnautica

2014 September 5

Cyclops flooding is being developed

2014 August 23

Cyclops is announced and being developed

2014 July 8

Aurora is added to Subnautica

2014 April 24

Subnautica PAX East 2014 Booth Tour

Subnautica release at PAX still in Pre-alpha stage

2014 April 11:

Subnautica created still in Pre-alpha stage

2013 December 15

Subnautica Welcome

Subnautica first announced

Prototype Builds

Access to seven early development Prototype builds were sold within the earliest access campaign, selling the Subnautica Special Edition, which included other items such as the Special Hull Plate Upgrade and extra soundtracks. The most notable is the change within the name from Descend to Subnautica.

Prototypes was originally going to be available as free DLCs for owners of Subnautica, however, it seem the developers have abandoned this plan.

There is no known way to access these prototypes unless the Special Addition had previously been purchased.

March 8, 2017

February 24, 2017

January 3, 2017

October 6, 2016

August 29, 2016

Subnautica Xbox Update 2

August 16th, 2016

Many Performance Improvements

Language Options Added

Subnautica Xbox Update 1

July 10th, 2016