Breaking: Unknown Worlds Confirms Lethal Fish Removal Is Off the Table
Subnautica 2’s developers have definitively ruled out adding the ability to kill fish in any future update. In a statement to PC Gamer ahead of the game’s early access launch, Unknown Worlds emphasized that lethal combat against marine life violates the core experience they intend to deliver.
“You are here to exist on this planet, not to dominate it,” said gameplay design lead Anthony Gallegos. “The goal here is not for you to master the world and bend it to your will.”
No Concession to Player Complaints
Since early access began last week, a vocal portion of players has demanded the ability to retaliate against predatory creatures. The studio remains unmoved, urging those who want a free-for-all survival sandbox to look elsewhere.
“If you’re looking for a game where you can kill whatever you find, there are plenty of other options,” a spokesperson added. The stance, according to the team, is not temporary but foundational to Subnautica 2’s identity.
Background: Why Subnautica 2 Removed the Knife's Lethality
While the original Subnautica allowed players to stab fish with a survival knife, the sequel enforces a stricter line. Creatures can only be repelled, not killed, using tools like flares or a resource harvester that doubles as a deterrent.
“We learned from Subnautica 1 that giving players the option to kill breaks the atmosphere,” explained creative media producer Scott MacDonald. “We set leviathan health bars so high we thought no one would bother. But the community took it as a challenge—and systematically wiped out entire ecosystems.”
That player behavior eliminated the game’s tension, turning a survival horror experience into a sterile resource grind. “Once leviathans are dead, the ocean feels empty and threatless,” Gallegos said. “Minor decisions like that have major impacts.”
What This Means for Subnautica 2 Players
Players must adapt to a game that prioritizes coexistence over conquest. The designers want every encounter to feel like an ecological negotiation, not a combat puzzle. “You’re not a conquering colonist,” Gallegos reiterated. “You’re a visitor learning to share the planet.”
This philosophy extends to resource gathering: fish can still be caught and cooked or used as bioreactor fuel, but never for sport or vengeance. The developers argue this preserves the sense of vulnerability they consider essential to the game’s identity.
For those hoping for a future toggle or mod, the studio has signaled no compromise. “This is the game we’re making,” MacDonald said. “If that doesn’t appeal, this might not be your game.”
Developer Commentary: Coexisting vs. Dominating
Gallegos noted that Unknown Worlds co-founder Charlie Cleveland “was always a bit sad to see how people went out of their way to kill everything.” That sadness guided the sequel’s design, ensuring players can’t accidentally—or deliberately—remove the ocean’s living threats.
“The tension of the unknown is what makes Subnautica special,” Gallegos added. “If you can just kill your way to safety, you lose that fear and wonder.”