You still can’t kill fish in Subnautica 2, but starting tomorrow you’ll at least be able to ‘stun’ them
Subnautica 2, the early access survival sequel, has been a commercial and critical success, selling over four million copies in its first week with strong Steam reviews. However, one design choice has proven controversial: unlike the original Subnautica, players are unable to kill the aggressive alien fish that attack them and headbutt their submarines.
The upcoming first substantial update, launching tomorrow, addresses some of these concerns by introducing creature behavior changes and new gameplay mechanics. Among the additions is the ability to stun fish by bonking them with a hammer, which will feature improved flinch animations. The early game is also receiving more biolabs, providing players with greater options for finding and swapping biomods. A new tool will also be introduced, with developers deliberately avoiding details to prevent spoilers.
These improvements represent the developer’s response to player feedback about the lack of offensive options against hostile creatures. While the update doesn’t fully restore the ability to kill fish, the new stun mechanic and enhanced creature interactions should provide players with more agency in their undersea encounters.