Getting ambushed by a Reaper Leviathan has become a canonical PC gaming experience. It is distilled oceanic horror that confirms every player's thalassophobic anxieties in a singular moment of aquatic violence. However, Subnautica 2 lead game designer Anthony Gallegos says he had almost moved past these fears—until the sequel’s new apex predator arrived.

In an interview with PC Gamer, Gallegos revealed that working on the upcoming title actually helped "cure" his fear of the deep. He admitted to being "terrified" of the original games when he first joined the studio, having been left in a "sweaty submarine panic" by previous entries.

The Exposure Therapy of Development

Gallegos noted that playing through the earlier titles right before joining the studio made for a "really difficult time." Fortunately, the daily grind of development provided a form of unintentional exposure therapy.

Spending his 9-5 submerged in alien ocean environments changed his perspective on the creatures. "I was like, 'Nope. These are just AI things. I feel nothing when I play against them anymore,'" Gallegos said. This sense of security lasted until the team began working on a new section of the map.

The Collector: A New Apex Predator for Subnautica 2

The team is currently developing an early version of a region slated for the first major update following the Subnautica 2 early access launch. This area serves as the hunting ground for The Collector, the massive squid monster featured in the 2024 teaser trailer.

The creature's hunting methods are disturbing enough to resurrect Gallegos' long-forgotten fears. "The stuff this creature was now doing to hunt for me deeply disturbed me to the point where I was like, 'Oh man, I have to continue playing this demo to provide feedback, but I really don't want to,'" he said.

Gallegos believes this new level of horror will impact players significantly: "This is going to make many people sad and scared." While The Collector will be present at launch, its presence will initially feel more like the classic Subnautica experience—territorial but avoidable if you stay away. However, the upcoming world update aims to make the creature much more imposing in its own habitat.

Terror in Co-op Gameplay

Creative media producer Scott MacDonald shared a recent co-op experience that demonstrated just how lethal the predator can be. Despite playing with friends, the encounter was nothing short of terrifying.

During a recent playtest, the team witnessed the following:

  • A player was grabbed by one of the creature's tentacles.
  • The victim was pulled directly into its mouth.
  • The death featured visceral sound and visual effects.

MacDonald noted that while the experience was "really really fun," it was undeniably intense. If you want to experience this terror for yourself, mark your calendars: Subnautica 2 launches in early access on Steam on May 14, 2026.