Video walkthrough
Watch the route, then match the frames
Video references
Watch or inspect the route before you dive
Click YouTube cards to load the player. Open frame cards to compare local screenshot notes. Use the evidence to confirm landmarks, movement, and encounter pacing, then follow the written checklist below.
Hotfix and patch-note source footage
Watch for: Creature tuning, DLSS or graphics notes, progression fixes, and retest priority.
Creature changes frame review
Watch for: Start with Hotfix 3 update review at 01:28. Compare the screenshot cue, route note, and player action before following the guide in-game.
Fix list frame review
Watch for: Start with Hotfix 3 update review at 02:56. Compare the screenshot cue, route note, and player action before following the guide in-game.
Official update checks
Patch notes that can change this guide
Video watch notes
What to pause, compare, and write down
Do not watch the video like entertainment only. Use these notes as a second-screen checklist: pause on landmarks, confirm the player action, then return to the written route.
Watchlist
Pause on Patch headline and identify the landmark, depth band, or objective state before following the next step.
Use Creature changes to confirm what changed; if the video only shows a close-up, rebuild the route from the previous landmark.
Treat Fix list as the exit rule: finish the objective, return, and update storage or crafting before adding side goals.
Patch headline
Patch-note pages should start by identifying which gameplay systems changed.
Action: Scan the hotfix for creature, progression, multiplayer, and performance changes.
Creature changes
Creature tuning can invalidate old threat advice even when the route still exists.
Action: Tag affected guide pages by route, item, puzzle, or threat.
Fix list
Progression, multiplayer, and graphics fixes decide which guide pages need retesting first.
Action: Retest only the pages touched by the update first.
Video route timeline
Turn the video into playable checkpoints
Use this section like a second-screen route sheet. Open each checkpoint, compare the frame, do the action, then stop if your route no longer matches the video evidence. It keeps the guide useful even when Early Access shifts small placements or creature behavior.
00:10Checkpoint 1: Scan the hotfix for creature, progression, multiplayer, and performance changes.Patch-note pages should start by identifying which gameplay systems changed.Expand
Patch headline
Patch-note pages should start by identifying which gameplay systems changed.
Player action
Scan the hotfix for creature, progression, multiplayer, and performance changes.
Proof before moving on
Patch-note pages should start by identifying which gameplay systems changed.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Reset to the last confirmed landmark or objective state, then repeat only the route-critical step.
01:28Checkpoint 2: Tag affected guide pages by route, item, puzzle, or threat.Creature tuning can invalidate old threat advice even when the route still exists.Expand
Creature changes
Creature tuning can invalidate old threat advice even when the route still exists.
Player action
Tag affected guide pages by route, item, puzzle, or threat.
Proof before moving on
Creature tuning can invalidate old threat advice even when the route still exists.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Use the video frame as evidence, but record entry, proof, and exit as separate notes.
02:56Checkpoint 3: Retest only the pages touched by the update first.Progression, multiplayer, and graphics fixes decide which guide pages need retesting first.Expand
Fix list
Progression, multiplayer, and graphics fixes decide which guide pages need retesting first.
Player action
Retest only the pages touched by the update first.
Proof before moving on
Progression, multiplayer, and graphics fixes decide which guide pages need retesting first.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Return, craft, sort storage, or retest the route before turning this page into a longer objective chain.
00:10Checkpoint 4: Update page status from tracking to field-tested when evidence is current.Patch-note pages should start by identifying which gameplay systems changed.Expand
Patch headline
Patch-note pages should start by identifying which gameplay systems changed.
Player action
Update page status from tracking to field-tested when evidence is current.
Proof before moving on
Patch-note pages should start by identifying which gameplay systems changed.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Reset to the last confirmed landmark or objective state, then repeat only the route-critical step.
01:28Checkpoint 5: Keep outdated claims conservative until screenshots or player reports confirm them.Creature tuning can invalidate old threat advice even when the route still exists.Expand
Creature changes
Creature tuning can invalidate old threat advice even when the route still exists.
Player action
Keep outdated claims conservative until screenshots or player reports confirm them.
Proof before moving on
Creature tuning can invalidate old threat advice even when the route still exists.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Use the video frame as evidence, but record entry, proof, and exit as separate notes.
Gameplay evidence
Screenshots to match before you keep swimming
Use these frames as visual checkpoints. If the terrain, lighting, or landmark does not match, slow down and re-check the route instead of forcing the next step.
Patch headline
Patch-note pages should start by identifying which gameplay systems changed.
Creature changes
Creature tuning can invalidate old threat advice even when the route still exists.
Fix list
Progression, multiplayer, and graphics fixes decide which guide pages need retesting first.
Route decision lab
Decide if this route is worth running now
This section turns the video into a practical in-game decision. Use it before leaving base, after the first landmark, and again before entering a deeper or darker area.
Route purpose
Read patch notes as route changes: creature behavior, progression fixes, graphics settings, and multiplayer stability can all make an old guide partially wrong. Re-test high-risk pages after each hotfix.
Visual checkpoint
Patch-note pages should start by identifying which gameplay systems changed.
Map anchor
Patch and Hotfix Retest Hub in Version tracker. Use it for use this after each early access patch to find which routes, creatures, puzzles, or bugs changed.
Abort rule
Treating an old video as current after creature tuning.
Field manual translation
Read patch notes as route changes: creature behavior, progression fixes, graphics settings, and multiplayer stability can all make an old guide partially wrong. Re-test high-risk pages after each hotfix. Use this progression route manual as a second-screen checklist: identify the entry condition, confirm the objective with a visual proof point, then stop when the return rule is met. This keeps the article practical for Early Access patches without pretending every coordinate or state is final.
Primary job
Early Access - Scan the hotfix for creature, progression, multiplayer, and performance changes.
Best entry habit
Current build - Tag affected guide pages by route, item, puzzle, or threat.
Stop condition
Treating an old video as current after creature tuning. - Retest only the pages touched by the update first.
Patch-safe reading
Exact item positions can shift during Early Access. The useful part of this page is the route logic: what to prepare, what visual cue to confirm, what objective to finish, and when to turn back.
Updated
2026-06-12 / tracking / Early Access
What this guide covers
Requirements
- Current build
- Patch source
- Retest queue
Use this if
You want a route you can follow from video evidence without needing exact official coordinates. The screenshots and steps are written to help you recognize areas, landmarks, and decisions while playing.
Early Access can move details. Treat this as a video-based walkthrough and verify landmarks in your own build.
Step-by-step walkthrough
Follow the video route without guessing
Scan the hotfix for creature, progression, multiplayer, and performance changes.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Patch-note pages should start by identifying which gameplay systems changed.
Tag affected guide pages by route, item, puzzle, or threat.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Creature tuning can invalidate old threat advice even when the route still exists.
Retest only the pages touched by the update first.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Progression, multiplayer, and graphics fixes decide which guide pages need retesting first.
Update page status from tracking to field-tested when evidence is current.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Patch-note pages should start by identifying which gameplay systems changed.
Keep outdated claims conservative until screenshots or player reports confirm them.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Creature tuning can invalidate old threat advice even when the route still exists.
After-action plan
What to do after the guide works
Bank the result
Keep outdated claims conservative until screenshots or player reports confirm them.
Clean the inventory
Move route-critical materials into labeled storage so the next dive starts with empty space and a clear job.
Pick the next guide
A practical troubleshooting page for stuck Tadpole states, dock clearance, hotbar input issues, and when to reload safely.
Next route queue
Use these as the next blockers to solve after this route. Each queue card keeps the same evidence style: source video, gameplay frames, and a written checklist.
Best immediate follow-upBug Fixes and Stuck State Guide
A practical troubleshooting page for stuck Tadpole states, dock clearance, hotbar input issues, and when to reload safely.
Use if the route branchesEarly Access Starting Route
A low-spoiler route for turning the first hour into tools, scans, storage, safer map knowledge, and repeatable early progression.
Save for the next diveBosses and Threats Overview
A conservative encounter hub for major threats, boss-like moments, escape planning, and Early Access verification.
Detailed notes
Hotfixes change guide confidence
A patch note does not always change a route, but it changes how confident the page should sound. Threat, puzzle, and bug pages need the fastest retest loop.
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Official update checks
The current official watchlist starts with the May 14 Early Access launch, the May 15 roadmap, Hotfix 2, and Hotfix 3. Hotfix notes are used to decide which older video routes need retesting, especially creature behavior, blockers, resource availability, performance, and multiplayer stability.
May 14: Early Access launch baseline
May 15: official roadmap expectations
May 22: Hotfix 2 retest queue
June 1: Hotfix 3 creature and performance checks
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Retest queue
Sort retests by player pain: crashes and blockers first, then threats, then resource routes, then visual or performance notes.
Blockers
Threats
Resources
Visuals
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Practical field read
Patch Notes and Hotfix Tracker works best when you treat it as a session flow with a narrow job. Start with the loadout check: Current build. Then follow the first action without adding side goals: Scan the hotfix for creature, progression, multiplayer, and performance changes.. The page should help you recognize the moment the plan becomes safer than improvising before you risk a longer dive. If the route starts producing unrelated discoveries, bank the note and return to the original objective instead of turning one guide into a full map sweep.
Loadout check: Current build
Route check: Patch source
First action: Scan the hotfix for creature, progression, multiplayer, and performance changes.
Proof point: Early Access
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
How to turn this into the next dive
After the first proof point, decide whether the route is solved, blocked, or worth repeating. Tag affected guide pages by route, item, puzzle, or threat.. If it is solved, return and convert the result into crafting, storage, a map note, or the next related guide. If it is blocked, change only one variable: bring the missing tool, clear inventory, enter from a cleaner landmark, or wait for better oxygen and vehicle support. Retest only the pages touched by the update first.. Avoid the two habits that make this route feel unreliable: Treating an old video as current after creature tuning.; Updating a page title without retesting the route..
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Video route notes
Patch Notes and Hotfix Tracker should be followed as a progression route, not as a memory test. Start by watching the first route movement and naming the entry condition before copying the path in-game. Scan the hotfix for creature, progression, multiplayer, and performance changes. Then pause again when the video reaches the first visible proof point, because that is where the guide changes from general advice into an action you can repeat. Tag affected guide pages by route, item, puzzle, or threat. If the route starts to feel different in your build, keep the same player goal: turn the video into a safe repeatable session plan.
Entry check: Current build
Route action: Scan the hotfix for creature, progression, multiplayer, and performance changes.
Proof to look for: objective proof
Version note: Early Access / tracking
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Screenshot checkpoints
Use screenshots as checkpoints instead of decoration. The first image should answer where the route begins, the second should show what confirms progress, and the third should explain what to do after the scan, pickup, puzzle state, or threat read is visible. Retest only the pages touched by the update first. This is especially important in Early Access because exact positions can drift while landmarks, depth bands, room states, and player decisions stay useful. A good screenshot lets you say, "I am at the right kind of place," before you risk oxygen, storage space, or vehicle safety.
Entry frame: match the landmark before moving deeper
Proof frame: confirm objective proof
Exit frame: know the return direction before adding side goals
Loadout frame: check Patch source
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Stop rule and next dive
The most useful part of this page is the stop rule. Treating an old video as current after creature tuning. Updating a page title without retesting the route. When the objective is confirmed, return and convert it into progress: craft the upgrade, sort the material, save the route note, or mark the blocker as solved. If the route fails, do not repeat the same swim blindly. Change one variable at a time: enter from a clearer landmark, reduce inventory clutter, bring the missing tool, or wait until oxygen and vehicle support match the route. That turns a failed progression route into better field knowledge instead of another overextended dive.
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Common mistakes
Treating an old video as current after creature tuning.
Updating a page title without retesting the route.
Ignoring multiplayer or input fixes that affect FAQ pages.
FAQ
Is this guide for the current Subnautica 2 build?
This page is written for Early Access and includes a visible update date. Treat exact values as tracking notes until the current build is field-tested.
Does this page use official screenshots?
Pages combine attributed official Steam / Unknown Worlds media, local gameplay frame captures, and source-video evidence cards. New player-submitted captures should keep the route, timestamp, and build context attached.
Community notes
Add a field report
Player reports enter a moderation queue. Approved notes can load from Supabase; pending drafts stay visible in this browser for follow-up.
Near starter shallows
Approx. 70-120m from pod
Confirm oxygen before leaving the first landmark. The route is much safer when you mark the return path before collecting side materials.
Guide-wide
N/A
Creature patrol ranges and fragment placement can shift between builds, so treat exact distances as field estimates until multiple players confirm them.