Game · Low risk
Is Subnautica safe for your child?
Age guide
12+
We advise Subnautica from age 12 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk).
- 5-8
- This game might be too intense for this age group due to its immersive deep-sea environment, which can feel claustrophobic or feature jump scares from large, aggressive creatures.
- 9-12
- Children in this age range can enjoy the exploration and base-building aspects of Subnautica, but parents should be aware of the potential for scary encounters with large, predatory creatures in the deeper biomes.
- 13-15
- Teenagers will likely appreciate the open-world exploration, resource gathering, crafting, and the unfolding mystery of the alien planet, engaging with the survival mechanics and challenging creature encounters.
- 16+
- Older teens can fully immerse themselves in the deep narrative, complex survival systems, and the thrill of exploring dangerous alien biomes, often seeking out the most challenging creatures and environments.
Subnautica is an underwater survival and exploration game set on an alien ocean planet.
- Age guide
- 12+
- Overall risk
- 3/10
- Violence
- 3/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 0/10
- Stranger contact
- 0/10
- Addiction risk
- 7/10
- Language
- 1/10
- Influence
- 3/10
What parents should know
Subnautica is a single-player, open-world survival game set on an alien ocean planet, focusing on exploration, resource gathering, and base building. While visually stunning, it features intense encounters with large predatory creatures and can evoke feelings of isolation or claustrophobia. Parents should consider the game's potential for jump scares and stressful survival mechanics when determining suitability.
What to do about Subnautica
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for Subnautica is 12+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact Subnautica setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about Subnautica without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in Subnautica that mean it is time to step in.
Subnautica age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is Subnautica?
Parentwise puts Subnautica at 12+. We advise Subnautica from age 12 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). Violence scores 3/10, language 1/10, stranger contact 0/10 and addiction risk 7/10.
Can a 10 year old play Subnautica?
Not by default: we advise Subnautica from 12+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Children in this age range can enjoy the exploration and base-building aspects of Subnautica, but parents should be aware of the potential for scary encounters with large, predatory creatures in the deeper biomes.
Can a 12 year old play Subnautica?
Yes, 12 is at or above the age we advise for Subnautica (12+). Children in this age range can enjoy the exploration and base-building aspects of Subnautica, but parents should be aware of the potential for scary encounters with large, predatory creatures in the deeper biomes.
Can a 13 year old play Subnautica?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for Subnautica (12+). Teenagers will likely appreciate the open-world exploration, resource gathering, crafting, and the unfolding mystery of the alien planet, engaging with the survival mechanics and challenging creature encounters.
Is Subnautica appropriate for kids?
Subnautica is a single-player, open-world survival game set on an alien ocean planet, focusing on exploration, resource gathering, and base building. Parentwise rates Subnautica overall as low risk (3/10), with stranger contact at 0/10 and addiction risk at 7/10.
Is Subnautica family friendly?
Subnautica is one of the lower-risk titles we rate. While visually stunning, it features intense encounters with large predatory creatures and can evoke feelings of isolation or claustrophobia.
Subnautica parents guide: what should a parent know first?
Subnautica is a single-player, open-world survival game set on an alien ocean planet, focusing on exploration, resource gathering, and base building. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (0/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (7/10).
Is Subnautica safe for kids?
We advise Subnautica from age 12 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). While visually stunning, it features intense encounters with large predatory creatures and can evoke feelings of isolation or claustrophobia.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.