As the holiday season approaches, developers find themselves navigating a challenging landscape dominated by blockbuster releases, particularly with the much-anticipated arrival of GTA 6. This phenomenon isn’t limited to the major studios; even indie titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong have sent shockwaves through the gaming industry. The announcement of its release date in September 2025 prompted a cascade of delays, with over eight games adjusting their schedules to avoid the spotlight. Some titles have opted to push their releases back to November, while others, such as Aeterna Lucis, have postponed until 2026.
Developers like Square Glade Games are now grappling with the fallout from these shifts. The unexpected early access release of Subnautica 2 has further complicated matters, forcing titles like Outbound to reconsider their launch strategies in a fiercely competitive environment.
Subnautica announces its sudden early access release date
Following the success of Hollow Knight: Silksong, Subnautica 2 has emerged as the most wishlisted game on Steam. Set to take players on an exhilarating underwater adventure, this sequel promises to challenge players’ resourcefulness while introducing them to a plethora of new aquatic creatures. The anticipation has been building, and on May 1, Unknown Worlds Entertainment confirmed that players will be able to dive into the game starting May 14.
Launching in early access, Subnautica 2 is poised to captivate millions of gamers eager to explore the depths of an alien ocean. However, the ripple effect of its release has prompted other survival games to rethink their timing to avoid being overshadowed.
‘We need to dodge the Leviathan’, Indie devs scramble to avoid being eclipsed
With over one million Steam users eagerly awaiting its release, Outbound was initially set to launch on May 14. However, in light of Subnautica 2‘s announcement, the developers acted swiftly to adjust their release date. “The highly anticipated title Subnautica 2 just revealed their release date – which falls exactly on our planned release date May 14th,” Square Glade Games stated in a recent blog post. “Even though we are very hyped for their game and big fans of the franchise, we think that it is best to not compete with such a highly anticipated title on that day.” They added, “We need to dodge the Leviathan, which means that you can start your road trip earlier.”
As a result, Outbound will now launch on May 11 for Steam and Xbox, while maintaining the original date of May 14 for the Epic Games Store and PlayStation. This strategic move allows players to enjoy a cozy camping experience before plunging into the depths of the extraterrestrial seacave crawler that is Subnautica 2.
