Subnautica 2

case study
Written By Black Soup

Briefing

  • Client: Subnautica 2

  • Release: Early Access Launch

  • Platforms: PC

  • Goal: Build awareness, creator excitement, and launch momentum for the Early Access release of Subnautica 2 through a mix of paid, organic and premium creator activations.

APPROACH

Subnautica is one of those games that you simply cannot miss. Over 10 million players have explored its underwater universe and the horrors that haunt its depths. Subnautica’s success demonstrated once again the huge impact that relatively small studios are able to achieve.

It’s needless to say that Subnautica 2 was therefore one of the most anticipated releases of 2026. Yet launching such a highly anticipated title comes with quite a unique challenge: How can you recapture that magical moment of discovery? That first plunge into the vast ocean, a surprise encounter with an unfamiliar creature, the fear of going deeper and not knowing what lurks below.

Beyond this, our task was to turn the Early Access launch into a creator-led moment that matched the hype for the game, yet remained authentic and true to the game’s spirit.

To do so, we built a campaign around three connected pillars: organic, first impressions by trusted voices and new player onboarding

1. Organic

Our main work lay in organizing a large-scale, yet authentic organic creator activation, Legacy Creator Revival, which brought selected creators back into the waters of Subnautica by giving them access to the game ahead of launch. This allowed them to prepare content in advance and be ready to publish as the official Early Access window opened. Once the embargo was lifted, we released a second wave of keys to distribute, giving more creators the chance to directly stream the game live and experience its first moments together with their communities.

For a smaller group of priority creators, we coordinated premium VIP puzzle kits: physical chests filled with exclusive items, locked behind an interactive puzzle designed for creators to solve live. This turned the kits into more than a gift. They became a content moment. A mystery to solve. A reason to go live and involve their communities. A physical extension of the Subnautica experience. Our favorite unboxing moment comes from Heyar, who - in full scuba gear - was a bit surprised that the chest was locked 😅 and said it was the best gift he has ever received.

2. First Impressions by Trusted Voices

Beyond organic, we organized a sponsored first impressions campaign with trusted voices from the community as a way to reach previous Subnautica fans. With YouTube as the platform of choice, we gave audiences a creator-led look at how the Early Access experience felt through trusted voices: what was new, what felt familiar and why it was worth diving in.

3. Onboarding New Players

Last but not least, we organized an onboarding campaign with the aim of helping new players understand the first steps in Subnautica without removing that sense of discovery and exploration. Rather than creating rigid tutorials, creators introduced audiences to the world naturally, revealing just enough to spark curiosity while leaving room for discovery.

Results: Organic

The organic campaign delivered a major launch wave.

58 active creators generated 10.6M views across 215 videos. On Twitch, creators produced 122 streams, reaching 639K hours watched, with 1.3K average CCV and a 29.1K max CCV. 

The campaign generated $1,3M in Earned Media Value and helped Subnautica 2 become the #1 category on Twitch during the launch window.

Organic highlights included:

Results: Sponsored

The sponsored campaigns also overdelivered. 

Onboarding content reached 2.26M YouTube views, performing at 480% of the original estimate. The campaign also generated 211K TikTok views, reaching 282% of the estimate without paid amplification. 

First impressions reached 1M+ YouTube views, performing at 165% of the original estimate.

Standout paid creators included Dr_Horse, Zombey, Cornelius, Jade PG, Dizowskyy, Ray Snakeyes and RTGame.

One of the strongest signs of success was what happened after the sponsored content went live. Several paid creators continued posting additional organic videos (around 50 extra pieces of content the first week) around Subnautica 2, extending the campaign beyond the original scope and showing genuine long-term interest in the game.

Learnings

The campaign proved the value of combining structured paid content with a strong organic creator network.

Pre-release access gave creators the time they needed to produce stronger content. The embargo-lift key distribution created a second wave of momentum, especially on Twitch. And the Puzzle VIP Kits showed that buzz kits buzz best when they give creators something to do, not just something to show.

The biggest opportunity for improvement for future activations would be giving creators even more preparation time, locking guidelines earlier and making additional keys available for multiplayer groups and proactive organic requests. 

Overall, the campaign delivered strong reach, strong creator engagement and meaningful added value across YouTube, Twitch and TikTok.

What did Subnautica 2 say?

“Black Soup consistently delivered beyond expectations. Their responsiveness, flexibility, and ability to scale quickly made them a reliable partner during a high-pressure launch window. Beyond delivering a service, they show genuine investment in our success and actively contribute to better outcomes.” - Sébastien Jung, Brand Manager Europe

Black Soup https://www.blacksoup.gg
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