[A.N this Chapter is a bit shorter lots of chinese glaze, is massive]
It took less than a day for these videos to go viral. Players quickly joined in, and before long, a global speedrun competition was underway. Records were constantly being broken as the whole world seemed to be swept up in the madness.
But Subnautica videos weren't all about speedrunning. Even before Natalie had boarded the Aurora, someone had already uploaded a video clearing the hidden arcade game, Dinosaur Kombat.
That player was Mullen, a veteran gamer and popular content creator with over 8 million subscribers on YouTube. In the video, Mullen excitedly addressed his viewers.
"Hey everyone! I'm sure most of you have been playing Subnautica lately. You've probably found the arcade machine hidden on the Aurora, right? I'm talking about Dinosaur Kombat, the little game inside the recreation area."
"I've always loved arcade games, so of course I had to dig into this one."
"But what I found completely shocked me!"
"This isn't just a fun little easter egg. This is a fully fleshed out arcade game, with four playable characters, each with their own skills and attributes. The combat mechanics feel different depending on who you pick."
"There are eight levels in total, filled with dozens of enemy types, 20 unique items, and bosses at the end of each stage. Even the lore is surprisingly rich."
"In my opinion, this game could be released as a standalone title and do just fine!"
"But what truly amazed me was the fact that Dinosaur Kombat actually has online multiplayer! Yes, you heard that right, multiplayer! After a lot of trial and error, I figured out how it works."
"All you need to do is stand still in front of the arcade machine for 10 seconds. Don't press anything. After that, if someone else is also standing still at their arcade, you'll get matched up automatically. The game supports up to three players at once!"
"So, next time you're too scared to explore the ocean because of the Reaper Leviathan, take a break and play Dinosaur Kombat. You might even make some new friends."
The video blew up almost instantly. Once players realized the arcade game could be played online, its popularity skyrocketed.
Soon, crowds of players were lining up in-game, hoping to match up with others and clear levels together. Some veteran arcade players even stood by all day, waiting to help newcomers through the game, basking in the admiration they received afterward.
Naturally, speedrun videos of Dinosaur Kombat also started flooding the internet. The completion time quickly dropped from over 30 minutes to just 18.
Across platforms like YouTube, guide videos for Subnautica appeared by the dozens, some so popular they showed up on homepages without even needing to be searched.
Players from all over the world were getting creative. Some specialized in base building. They'd do nothing but collect materials and build increasingly complex underwater shelters
One player even managed to build a tower so tall it reached from the sea floor to the sky, nearly matching the height of the alien artillery tower. Viewers were amazed.
Others were more daring, like challenging the Reaper Leviathan head on.
Unfortunately, many underestimated its power.
The giant beast tore through their Sea Mantis suits like paper. Even when players brought out high -tier weapons like the Shock Cannon and the Stasis Gun, the results were disappointing. The shock blasts had no effect, and the stasis only froze the beast for a few seconds, not enough time to kill it.
Every attempt ended the same way, death.
Still, players kept trying. It became a trend.
"I slid under it and stabbed its gut with a dagger. Its organs spilled out, but of course, I didn't make a video. You'll have to take my word for it!"
"Reaper Leviathan: Please stop with the biting, I can't take it anymore!"
"At this point, the number of players it's eaten could circle the globe!"
"Haha, I tried too. That thing's skin is way too thick. The devs made it unkillable!"
"Not me! That thing is terrifying. If this was just a normal game, maybe I'd try. But in VR? No way!"
"Yeah, I haven't even gone to the Aurora yet. I know that beast is waiting there. No thanks."
While some players insisted it was possible to kill it, and others claimed they had already done it, no actual video proof had surfaced. For now, the Reaper Leviathan remained undefeated.
But even that wasn't the most popular topic in the Subnautica community.
The real star? A content creator named Blackbone.
Instead of fighting or speedrunning, Blackbone focused on something completely different, fish farming.
After unlocking the aquarium blueprint, he gave up exploring and started researching how to raise different species of fish.
He released a video titled [Subnautica: Ultimate Fish Farming Guide], where he passionately explained how to raise every type of fish and what each one liked to eat.
He even listed exact coordinates for where to find their eggs in the open ocean, so players could collect the species they wanted. Every detail was covered.
At the bottom of his video, comments flooded in with praise.
"This is amazing. You really did your homework!"
"Thanks for the guide, now I finally understand how breeding works."
"You deserve all the love, bro. This helped a lot."
"Good Lord, bless this kind soul!"
"Thanks so much for sharing!"
The comment section overflowed with unusually polite praise. Compared to the usual chaos of the internet, this video felt like a rare breath of fresh air. For a moment, it almost felt like the viewers had wandered onto a wholesome website.
With this, Subnautica became more than just a survival game. Players were building homes, driving submarines, farming fish, and exploring endless possibilities. The creativity of the community exploded overnight.
It could be said that Subnautica had sparked the rise of a new generation of content creators.
While many players enjoyed forging their own paths, most still chose to follow the main story and focus on building shelters, constructing submarines, and surviving in the deep sea.
During that week, celebrities like Jackspeticeye, and DanTDM all posted screenshots of the shelters they built in the game, instantly going viral and drawing waves of attention from fans.