Deal | Dive in for free this Easter: One of the most popular survival games is free to play for a limited time

Subnautica is without question one of the most successful titles of 2018. Anyone still looking to fill some free time over the Easter holidays can currently dive into Unknown Worlds Entertainment’s underwater adventure completely free of charge. The game is free to play until April 6 and will then remain available for another three days at a 75% discount for around $7.50, which, according to SteamDB, matches its previous best price. With a “Verified” rating for the Steam Deck, the offer should also appeal to those playing on modern handhelds.

After a crash, Subnautica throws players onto an alien ocean planet where almost everything lies underwater. Instead of forests or ruins, there are coral reefs, wrecks, deep-sea trenches and plenty of unknown creatures. The goal is to survive on the hostile planet, understand the cause of the disaster and ultimately find a way back home. Players gather resources, craft tools, build underwater bases and gradually unlock new vehicles and better equipment. With each new technology, deeper and more dangerous regions become accessible. This mix of survival, base building, crafting and exploration is what makes Subnautica so compelling.

In GameStar’s German review, Subnautica scored 85 out of 100 points. The reviewers praised the game’s strong presentation and its beautiful underwater worlds. The loop of exploration and crafting is said to feel highly motivating and to reward curiosity. However, the resource grind can quickly become frustrating, especially when rare materials are needed. On top of that, Subnautica does not always clearly communicate which step makes sense next or which equipment is required for certain areas, which can sometimes turn into trial and error. Even so, Subnautica has excellent ratings on Steam, with 97% positive reviews from nearly 350,000 users. On Metacritic, it holds a Metascore of 87 and a User Score of 8.6.

Unknown Worlds likely launched the free weekend promotion for Subnautica not just as a small Easter goodie, but also for promotional purposes. The sequel is already waiting in the wings. Subnautica 2 is set to enter Early Access in 2026, and fans can already add it to their Steam wishlists.

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