"Primal instincts at play: Subnautica 2 designer notes our affinity for weapon-making stems from a fundamental desire for protection and sustenance"
In an interview with Edge magazine, Anthony Gallegos, designer of the upcoming survival game Subnautica 2, discussed the evolution of the survival game genre. Gallegos, who has observed a trend of players moving in and out of survival games quickly, believes that the genre is shifting towards more multiplayer or social elements.
Gallegos suggests that survival games tap into primal instincts, with everyone's "little monkey brains" enjoying shelter and food, common themes in survival games. He compares survival gamers to MMO players, implying they are open to trying multiple games. If players finish all the content of Subnautica, Gallegos is not alarmed because they tend to move to other survival games.
The studio's publisher, Krafton, recently gutted the studio's top brass. Unknown Worlds' upcoming game, Subnautica 2, is currently facing delays and legal issues, with Krafton having delayed the game into 2026. The game's developers are currently facing a lawsuit from the studio's co-founders.
Modern survival games emphasize not only combating environmental threats but also navigating dynamic social environments, including cooperation, competition, alliances, and betrayals with other players. The social aspect, where alliance, trust, and betrayal are key, appeals by enabling rich human interactions and narratives beyond scripted game content.
The genre expanded beyond survival horror’s traditional confined, scripted events into more expansive, immersive worlds with sophisticated AI, creating tension through unpredictability and player choice rather than fixed scares. Long-term player engagement is maintained through ongoing content updates, fixes, and community-driven improvements, encouraging continued social interaction and player investment in the evolving game world.
For instance, games like Sons of the Forest showcase open-world freedom, allowing players to build shelters and craft weapons while facing unpredictable dangers and other players collectively or competitively. The combination of survival tension with multiplayer unpredictability results in unique experiences each play session, maintaining freshness over time.
Mollie Taylor, a writer for PC Gamer, has a history of playing games like Killer Instinct, Toontown, and Audition Online. Taylor, who joined PC Gamer in 2020 as a news writer and now writes features, guides, and reviews, is a fan of Final Fantasy 14 and uses her experiences in the game to write features about her favorite MMO.
Gallegos observes that survival game mechanics are universally approachable, as shown by a 10-year-old building a complex base in Astroneer. However, Gallegos prefers survival games to be less challenging and more straightforward, implying that the genre's evolution towards complexity may not always be beneficial for all players.
In conclusion, survival games have evolved from isolated, mechanics-driven challenges into complex, socially rich, and dynamically evolving experiences, a shift that sustains their popularity as players seek both personal mastery and compelling social interactions in hostile, unpredictable worlds.
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