Subnautica 2 is already having a huge launch on Steam

"Subnautica 2, the new underwater survival game from Unknown Worlds, took less than an hour to rocket up Steam's charts. The game has already sold more than 1 million copies, according to a press release, and as of this writing, Steam's charts show that Subnautica 2 is currently the fourth-most played game on the platform with more than 460,000 concurrent players. The only titles with more concurrent players right now are perennial heavy hitters Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and PUBG: Battlegrounds."

"It's also worth noting that Steam's Subnautica 2 player count doesn't include players on the Epic Games Store or on Xbox, where the game is also now available in early access, so the total number of concurrent players is probably even higher. The huge launch isn't a total surprise. Before release, Subnautica 2 got 5 million wishlists and was the most-wishlisted game on Steam."

"After a judge's ruling in March that reinstated the studio's CEO and extended the eligibility window for a potentially significant bonus for Unknown Worlds's developers, the game got its new early access launch date. The studio expects that the early access period will last for "about" two to three years."

"And it was also at the center of a lengthy legal dispute between Unknown Worlds executives and the Unknown Worlds' owner, Krafton - and around when that happened, the game was delayed from a planned 2025 early access launch, ostensibly due to feedback from playtests. It's a followup to the well-received Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero."

Subnautica 2 reached Steam’s top charts in under an hour and has sold more than one million copies. Steam charts show it as the fourth-most played game on the platform with over 460,000 concurrent players, behind Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and PUBG: Battlegrounds. Steam’s numbers exclude players on the Epic Games Store and on Xbox, where the game is also available in early access, so total concurrent players are likely higher. Prior to release, the game collected five million wishlists and was the most-wishlisted title on Steam. It follows Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero and was delayed after a legal dispute involving Krafton, with a new early access date set after a March judge ruling. Early access is expected to last about two to three years.

Read at The Verge