Subnautica is a game with tense survival, creative crafting, and wonderful exploration. After playing for a while, you may want to try out the game with friends. Playing Subnautica multiplayer with friends is more difficult than first expected, but we are here to help you explore the world with others.

If you want to play Subnautica multiplayer, there are a few steps to take first. This includes installing and setting up the multiplayer mod first. It's important to note that this mod is not compatible with Subnautica: Below Zero. As this is a mod for the PC version of the game, this will not work on the console version of Subnautica.

Updated December 7, 2023, by Sean Murray: You've probably enjoyed Subnautica enough to want to play it with a friend, which is why the Subnautica multiplayer mod exists. For those looking to dive deep with friends, this guide is here to help. We've also updated this guide with a few formatting tweaks and more links to other helpful Subnautica topics.

Is There An Official Subnautica Multiplayer Mode?

No, there is no official Subnautica multiplayer. The developers of Subnautica stated that adding multiplayer to the game would require either rebuilding the engine from scratch or devoting an entire team to squeezing it into its current iteration.

Fortunately, the fan community for Subnautica has created a great multiplayer mod, which we will take a look at below.

How To Play Subnautica Multiplayer With Mods

A Nexus Mods user called Sunrunner37 created a popular multiplayer Subnautica mod called Nitrox, which can be downloaded from the official Nitrox website here.

This mod allows you to play with friends, which is impossible in the base game. If you are new to downloading and using mods, we will walk you through how to get it up and running.

Nitrox currently works with the Steam and Epic Games Store versions of Subnautica.

This means that if you are playing Subnautica on a console, you cannot use this mod.

The Nitrox mod is open-source, and there's a Nitrox Discord channel, meaning users have dedicated a good deal of time to refining the experience. You may encounter bugs as the mod is a work in progress. It shouldn't mess up your game, but it will probably result in some inconveniences during play.

If you have issues with installation or use, the Discord channel and Nitrox website can offer advice.

How To Install The Multiplayer Mod

As with any mod, you need to download it from the source. To get the multiplayer mod, go to the official Nitrox webpage here.

Once the mod has been downloaded, unzip it and place the extracted folder somewhere on your Desktop or in your Downloads folder.

Inside the folder, you'll see some files and an application called Nitrox Launcher.

Run this as Administrator, and this will bring up the launcher menu.

Inside the Launcher, go to the Options menu and check that the game directory is correct. If this is wrong, change it to the correct path.

If using Steam, your game directory path will look something like this:

C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Subnautica

Configure Server Options

In the Nitrox Launcher, click on the Server option and then press Start Server. This will open a Windows Command prompt window, and you have to click 'Allow Access' if you get a Firewall notification.

When you have the Command window open and running, the server has successfully launched.

Now, go to Play Game in the launcher and fire up Subnautica by pressing 'Play Multiplayer".

If you followed these instructions, you will see the game boot up, and when you reach the main menu, there will be an option that reads 'Multiplayer.' As a host of the server, do the following:

• Click on Multiplayer.
• Click on the 'Connect to Local' tab
• Make a note of the Server IP
• Enter your name and an identifying colour
• The game will load, and you will be ready to invite your friends.

Have Your Friends Join

The friends you want to play Subnautica with will need to follow the same instructions and grab the mod from Nitrox. Run the Nitrox Launcher and click on the Play Multiplayer option.

Inside the main menu of the game, click on the Multiplayer tab and then Add Server IP.

You will need to ask the person who is hosting the server to provide them with the IP address they used to host the server.

This can be found in the server Command window that opened up when creating a server.

Enter the IP address information and then join. If it all goes to plan, you will appear in your friend's world, and you can both begin the great exploration and survival Subnautica offers together.

Subnautica Multiplayer Features

Nitrox offers basic Subnautica gameplay with friends. The world will react to any player picking up and dropping items and will even maintain the environment if players separate to a certain distance.

Players can also build together, and the Cyclops will recognize that it has two passengers.

One helpful addition is a chat function. Since Subnautica's original form is a single-player game, it doesn't have an in-game chat. This allows you to keep in touch with friends, even if they are far away. Lastly, you can also get a Windows launcher that makes launching the multiplayer version of Subnautica easier.

If you want to voice chat, use something like Discord while you play.

That's all there is to know about multiplayer in Subnautica. If you are on a PC, be sure to head to the Nitrox website and download this mod.