Subnautica 2 dev thinks early access teams should worry less about adding features that are "very ugly, incomplete, or prototype"
Creative director Unknown Worlds Anthony Gallegos has shared insights from years of working in early access. He suggests that developers shouldn't fear releasing features in Steam that might appear "very ugly, incomplete, or prototype" at the time of launch.
The experience of Subnautica shows that "radical transparency" helped the studio build a trusting relationship with its audience. Gallegos noted that when the game first arrived on Steam, players were able to witness the development process in real-time. This allowed the studio to adapt the game based on community observations—such as leaning into horror elements following reactions from players and streamers.
However, Gallegos emphasized that the Early Access format has evolved. He identified two distinct approaches:
- Long-term open development, as practiced by Unknown Worlds.
- A short period leading up to a 1.0 release, where early access acts effectively as a paid beta soft launch to manage player expectations.
As development continues on Subnautica 2, early access remains part of the studio's "DNA." Gallegos advises developers to preserve their vision while listening to feedback, allowing players to help bring the best version of a game to life.
In a crowded market where nearly 3,000 early access games have launched on Steam so far this year (according to SteamDB), newer teams may find it difficult to secure the same level of trust enjoyed by Unknown Worlds, who entered the scene when early access was still a fresh and exotic concept.
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