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The original Subnautica is not multiplayer out of the box. Steam lists it as a single-player game, and there is no co-op option in the vanilla game’s menus. You can play with friends by installing Nitrox, a community multiplayer modification that adds a client-and-server workflow. The host runs a Nitrox server, makes UDP port 11000 reachable, and shares the server IP. Friends connect through the Nitrox launcher, then choose a username and color before joining.
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Is Subnautica multiplayer without mods?
No. The original Subnautica is officially presented as a single-player game. Its Steam feature listing says “Single-player,” and the standard game launcher does not provide a built-in multiplayer or co-op menu.
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That distinction matters because installing the game alone will not let a friend join your world. A normal Subnautica save follows the game’s solo workflow. To play cooperatively, you need a separate multiplayer layer: the community-made Nitrox modification and its launcher.
Nitrox describes itself as “Your multiplayer Mod for Subnautica.” It is not an official feature supplied by the game’s developer, and it is not enabled from the vanilla game’s settings. You install Nitrox separately, point it at your existing Subnautica installation, and launch the game through Nitrox when you want to play co-op.
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What Nitrox adds
Nitrox changes the way a session is started and joined. Instead of opening Subnautica and loading a solo save, one player starts a Nitrox server and the other players connect to that server through the Nitrox launcher.
- Community modification: Nitrox is a multiplayer mod rather than a built-in game mode.
- Launcher-based setup: Nitrox has its own launcher. You download and unzip it, then select the folder containing Subnautica.
- Host-run server: The host starts the Nitrox server before friends connect.
- Network reachability: Nitrox uses UDP port 11000. Friends must be able to reach the host through port forwarding or a VPN-style network option such as Hamachi.
- IP-based joining: A friend adds the host’s server IP in Nitrox, saves the server entry, and connects.
- Changing compatibility: The project is still in progressional development, so behavior and compatibility can change when Subnautica or Nitrox is updated.
This is closer to running a small private game server than to pressing a “Invite friend” button. The host’s network configuration and the server process both matter.
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Prepare these items before downloading the mod:
- A copy of the original Subnautica installed through a supported PC storefront.
- The Nitrox download, extracted to a normal folder. The launcher must not be run from inside the compressed archive.
- Administrator access on the computer where you will install and run Nitrox.
- A decision about which player will host. That player needs to keep the Nitrox server running and provide the reachable server IP.
- Access to your router if you plan to forward UDP port 11000, or a VPN-style networking option such as Hamachi if direct port forwarding is not practical.
- Permission to create firewall exceptions for the relevant game and server programs when Windows or another security tool blocks them.
Nitrox is an additional software layer, so treat its installation as separate from the game’s own installation. Do not delete or overwrite the original Subnautica files while preparing the mod.
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How to install Nitrox
Use the launcher workflow described in Nitrox’s installation guide. The order is important: extract the files first, then run the launcher with the required permissions, and finally select the game directory.
- Download Nitrox. Obtain the current Nitrox package from the project’s official distribution point.
- Unzip the package. Extract all of the files to a folder you can access easily. Do not try to launch Nitrox while it is still inside the compressed file.
- Run
NitroxLauncheras administrator. Use the launcher’s context-menu option to run it with administrator privileges. This can help the launcher access the installed game and create the processes it needs. - Open Options. In the Nitrox launcher, open Options.
- Choose Change. Select Change, then browse to the folder where Subnautica is installed.
- Confirm the installation folder. Select the actual Subnautica directory, not the folder that merely contains your downloaded Nitrox files. Nitrox’s guide includes example Steam and Epic installation locations; the exact path depends on your storefront and installation choices.
- Close and reopen the launcher if necessary. If Nitrox does not recognize the game immediately after changing the path, restart the launcher as administrator and verify that the selected folder is the game’s installation directory.
At this stage, Nitrox should be able to locate Subnautica. Installation alone does not create a joinable session; the host still has to start the server and configure network access.
How to host a Nitrox co-op session
The host is the player who runs the Nitrox server. Start it before asking friends to connect.
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- Run NitroxLauncher as administrator. Use the same elevated launch method used during installation.
- Select Server. In the launcher, choose the Server option.
- Start the server. Press Start Server. A server window should open and display the information needed for connections.
- Make UDP port 11000 reachable. Nitrox uses UDP port 11000. Configure port forwarding on your router so incoming traffic for that port reaches the computer running the Nitrox server, or use a VPN-style option such as Hamachi when that better fits your network.
- Allow the programs through your firewall. If the connection is blocked, check firewall exceptions for
Subnautica.exeandNitroxServer-Subnautica.exe. Apply the exception to the network profile you are using, then restart the server if the firewall prompted you to change access. - Copy the server IP. The server window shows the IP information your friends need. Give the relevant server IP to the players who will join. Do not give them a random local address if they are connecting from outside your home network; the address must be reachable through the network method you configured.
- Keep the server running. Friends cannot connect after the host closes the server process. Leave the Nitrox server window open for the entire session.
Port forwarding and firewall rules solve different parts of the problem. Forwarding directs incoming UDP traffic to the host computer; the firewall then has to permit the Nitrox server and game executable to receive it. If either layer blocks the traffic, a friend may be able to see a saved server entry but still fail to connect.
How a friend joins your Nitrox server
Joining is done from the Nitrox launcher, not from the ordinary Subnautica main menu.
- Open the Nitrox launcher. Start Nitrox on the joining computer.
- Select Multiplayer. Press Multiplayer in the launcher.
- Add the host’s address. Press Add server IP.
- Create the server entry. Enter a name for the server and the IP address supplied by the host, then press Add server.
- Select the saved entry. Highlight the server you just added and choose Connect to….
- Enter player details. Provide a username, choose a color, and press Join.
If the connection succeeds, the joining player enters the host’s Nitrox session. If it fails, do not repeatedly change the IP at random: first confirm that the host server is still running, that UDP 11000 is forwarded to the correct computer, and that the firewall exceptions exist.
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Troubleshooting Nitrox connections
The launcher cannot find Subnautica
- Open Options and use Change to select the installed Subnautica folder again.
- Make sure you selected the game directory rather than the folder containing the zipped or extracted Nitrox files.
- Close Nitrox, relaunch
NitroxLauncheras administrator, and repeat the path selection. - Verify that the game is actually installed through the storefront you are using. Steam and Epic installations can use different default locations, and the installation guide provides examples for both.
The friend cannot connect to the host
- Confirm that the host selected Server and pressed Start Server.
- Confirm that both players are using the server IP shown by the host’s server window.
- Check that UDP port 11000 is forwarded to the host computer or made reachable through the chosen VPN-style networking method.
- Check firewall exceptions for
Subnautica.exeandNitroxServer-Subnautica.exe. - Restart the Nitrox server after changing router or firewall settings, then try the connection again.
The server entry exists, but joining still fails
A saved server entry only stores the name and address; it does not prove that the host is currently reachable. Ask the host to verify that the Nitrox server window remains open and that the address has not changed. If the host is on a network where the public address changes, the joining player may need the current address shown by the host rather than an older saved value.
Nitrox behavior changes after an update
Nitrox’s project repository warns that the mod is still in progressional development. That means an update to Subnautica, Nitrox, or either player’s installation can affect whether a session starts or connects. Keep the host and joining players on compatible versions, and avoid assuming that a setup that worked previously will remain unchanged after an update.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Vanilla Subnautica versus Nitrox co-op
| Aspect | Original Subnautica | Nitrox |
|---|---|---|
| Multiplayer support | Steam lists the game as single-player; no built-in co-op menu | Community multiplayer modification |
| How play begins | Launch the game and use its solo save workflow | Launch Nitrox and connect through a client/server session |
| Installation | Install the game normally | Download and unzip Nitrox, run NitroxLauncher as administrator, and select the Subnautica folder |
| Host requirement | No multiplayer host process | One player starts the Nitrox server and keeps it running |
| Network setup | No co-op network configuration | UDP port 11000 must be reachable; port forwarding or a VPN-style option such as Hamachi may be used |
| Joining method | No friend-join flow | Friend adds the host IP, selects the saved server, connects, and enters a username and color |
| Compatibility outlook | Uses the game’s normal update path | Still in progressional development, so behavior and compatibility can change |
How to choose the right setup
Choose vanilla Subnautica when you want the simplest supported experience
Use the original game by itself when you are happy playing alone and do not want to configure a server, router, firewall, or additional launcher. The standard installation is the least complicated option because it does not attempt to add multiplayer.
Choose Nitrox when shared exploration is the priority
Nitrox is the route for players who specifically want to explore Subnautica together. Accept that the setup has more moving parts: a separate launcher, a host process, an address to share, UDP port 11000, and possible firewall or router changes.
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If you cannot configure the router, Nitrox’s server guidance identifies a VPN-style option such as Hamachi as an alternative way to make the host reachable. The host still needs to run the Nitrox server, and every player must use the address provided through the selected networking arrangement.
Important limits to understand
- It is not official built-in multiplayer. Installing Nitrox does not change the fact that the original game is listed as single-player.
- There is no guaranteed compatibility matrix here. Nitrox’s project is actively developing, and compatibility can change as updates are released.
- No player-count or uptime guarantee is established. Do not assume a specific maximum number of players or a persistent always-online world unless the current Nitrox documentation explicitly states it.
- The host is operationally responsible for the session. The server must remain running and reachable while friends play.
- Network problems are often configuration problems. A correct installation cannot compensate for a blocked UDP port, a missing firewall exception, or an incorrect server IP.
Quick checklist for your first co-op session
- Subnautica is installed and launches normally.
- Nitrox has been downloaded and fully unzipped.
NitroxLauncherhas been run as administrator.- The launcher’s Options > Change control points to the Subnautica installation folder.
- The host has opened Server > Start Server.
- UDP port 11000 is reachable through port forwarding or the chosen VPN-style option.
- Firewall exceptions have been checked for
Subnautica.exeandNitroxServer-Subnautica.exe. - The host has shared the IP shown in the server window.
- The joining player has used Multiplayer > Add server IP, saved the entry, selected Connect to…, and completed the username and color prompts.
- Everyone understands that Nitrox remains in development and may require adjustments after updates.
Bottom line
Subnautica is single-player in its vanilla form. Nitrox is the community-supported way to add co-op: install and configure the launcher, have one player start a server, make UDP port 11000 reachable, and let friends join by IP. It works as a separate client/server setup rather than a built-in invitation system, so network configuration and ongoing compatibility are part of the experience.
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