Subnautica 2 Abandoned Bases: All Locations, Lore & Secrets Guide

Abandoned Base Overview and Types

The world of Subnautica 2 is dotted with abandoned facilities -- human research outposts, Degasi expedition bases, and ancient Precursor structures. Each one holds valuable loot, important story fragments, and secrets that reveal more about the planet's history. Finding and exploring every abandoned base is one of the most rewarding aspects of the game.

These abandoned facilities fall into three categories. Human outposts were built by the Alterra Corporation before or during the events of the game, typically for research or resource extraction. Degasi bases were built by the crew of the Degasi, a trading vessel that crashed on 4546B ten years before the Aurora. Precursor bases (also called Alien Bases or Architect Facilities) were built by the ancient alien race that once inhabited the planet.

Base Types and Distribution

Each base type has a distinct visual style. Human outposts look like what you build yourself -- standard habitat compartments, Alterra branding, functional design. Degasi bases have a more makeshift, scavenged appearance, with mismatched components and personal effects. Precursor bases are made of a strange alien alloy, with glowing blue or green accents and advanced technology that hums with energy.

Exploring abandoned bases serves three purposes. First, you find valuable loot -- supplies, materials, and sometimes rare equipment. Second, you unlock new blueprints from data boxes and scanned fragments. Third, you discover story fragments -- PDA logs, data terminals, and environmental storytelling that reveal what happened to the people (and aliens) who came before you. The full story of 4546B can only be understood by visiting every abandoned facility.

Early-Game Shallow Bases and Outposts

The shallowest abandoned bases are accessible almost immediately after you start the game. They contain basic supplies, early blueprints, and your first taste of the story. While they do not have the most exciting loot, they are important stepping stones that set up the rest of the game's narrative.

The Safe Shallows Outpost is the first abandoned base most players find. It is a small 2-room facility at about 50 meters depth, not far from the starting lifepod. It was a survey outpost set up by Alterra to monitor the local ecosystem. Inside, you find basic supplies, a few data terminals with initial lore, and sometimes a blueprint for a basic tool like the scanner or survival knife.

Shallow-Water Abandoned Bases

The Degasi Floating Island Base is particularly interesting. This is where the three Degasi survivors -- Paul Torgal, his son Bart, and pilot Marguerit Maida -- first set up camp after their ship crashed. The base consists of a few simple rooms on the surface of the floating island, with gardens and a spectacular view. Reading the PDAs here gives you the first hints of the Degasi story arc.

Exploration tip for shallow bases: always check lockers and storage. The early bases may not have high-tech loot, but they often contain food, water, first aid kits, and basic materials that are valuable in the early game. Even a few extra titanium or copper ore can make a difference when you are just starting out.

Mid-Game Deep Outposts and Research Labs

As you dive deeper, you will find more advanced abandoned facilities. These mid-game bases contain better blueprints, more valuable loot, and deeper story revelations. They are also more dangerous -- some are in predator-infested areas, and others have structural damage that makes exploration risky.

The Redrock Zone Mining Outpost is a classic mid-game base. At 180 meters depth in the Redrock Zone, this facility was established to mine lithium and other rare minerals. It has a scanner room, several storage lockers with valuable materials, and data terminals detailing the mining operation's final days. The base is partially flooded, so watch your oxygen, and there are bone sharks patrolling outside.

Mid-Game Abandoned Facilities

The Degasi Jellyshroom Base is a major story location. This is the Degasi crew's second base, built after they outgrew the floating island and needed to move deeper for resources. The PDAs here reveal the increasing tension among the three survivors and their growing understanding that something is very wrong with the planet. You also find hints that they are being watched -- or hunted -- by something large.

When exploring mid-game bases, come prepared. Bring a laser cutter for sealed doors, a repair tool for damaged panels that might be blocking passages, and plenty of oxygen. A scanner room upgrade for your HUD can help locate these bases more easily. And always check behind furniture and in corners -- some of the best loot (and lore) is hidden in out-of-the-way places.

Deep-Sea Research Facilities

The deepest abandoned bases hold the game's most valuable blueprints and most shocking story revelations. These facilities were built for high-risk research into the planet's most dangerous secrets. Getting to them requires upgraded vehicles, and exploring them requires caution and preparation.

The Deep Grand Reef Research Lab is one of the most important deep bases. Located at 500 meters in the Deep Grand Reef, this was Alterra's primary research facility studying the planet's biology and the mysterious "Carar" bacterium (or equivalent in Subnautica 2's story). The lab contains advanced blueprints, including the Nuclear Reactor and some weapon upgrades. The story logs here are chilling -- they detail the facility's final days as the research subjects escaped.

Deep-Sea Abandoned Facilities

The Degasi Deep Grand Reef Base is the final Degasi location and the emotional climax of their story. Here, you learn the ultimate fate of the three survivors. The base is heavily damaged and partially collapsed, and the PDAs paint a grim picture of their final days. Finding this base is a major story milestone and gives you closure on the Degasi arc.

For deep base exploration, you need a Prawn Suit or heavily upgraded Seatruck. Bring spare power cells, a repair tool, and weapons -- the deep biomes are dangerous. Also bring a lot of storage space; these bases are packed with valuable materials and data. Some players bring a second storage module just for looting abandoned bases.

Precursor / Architect Bases

The most mysterious and impressive abandoned structures on 4546B are those built by the Precursor race (also called the Architects). These ancient aliens inhabited the planet long before humans arrived, and their technology is far in advance of anything Alterra has. Their bases are massive, alien, and filled with both wonder and danger.

Precursor bases have several unique features. They are built from an unknown metallic substance that cannot be damaged or scanned. They are powered by Ion Cubes, which you can sometimes find as loot. They have force fields that require special tablets (Purple Tablet, Orange Tablet, Blue Tablet) to pass through. And they contain data terminals with information about the Precursors' civilization and their reasons for being on 4546B.

Precursor Facility Locations

The Thermal Power Plant in the Lava Castle is a major mid-to-late game discovery. It is a massive Precursor power station built into an active volcano. Inside, you find Ion Cubes, the Orange Tablet, and lore about how the Precursors generated the enormous energy needed for their experiments. Getting there requires fighting (or sneaking past) a Sea Dragon Leviathan -- one of the most dangerous creatures in the game.

Primary Containment in the Lava Lakes is the end-game Precursor facility. This is where the Sea Emperor Leviathan is held, and it is the location of the game's final story moments. You need the Blue Tablet (crafted from two Ion Cubes) to gain access. The revelations inside change everything you thought you knew about the planet and the Precursors' mission.

Loot Optimization and Base Clearing

Abandoned bases are treasure troves, but only if you know how to loot them efficiently. Rushing through and grabbing whatever is visible means you will miss half the good stuff. A systematic approach ensures you find every data box, every PDA log, and every hidden supply cache.

The optimal looting pattern is: start at the entrance, clear each room methodically, and work your way deeper. In each room, check lockers first (quick and high value), then scan furniture and equipment for blueprints, then check corners and under furniture for hidden items. Use your flashlight -- abandoned bases are often dark, and items tucked in shadows are easy to miss.

Loot Priority Ranking

Data boxes are always your top priority because they unlock permanent blueprints that you cannot get any other way. If you only have time to grab a few things from a dangerous base, make sure you scan every data box first. PDA logs are second priority because they provide story content you cannot experience anywhere else.

One pro tip: bring extra storage when you go base looting. A Seatruck with a storage module or a Prawn Suit with storage upgrades lets you carry everything you find back to your base. The last thing you want is to find a base full of valuable loot and not have room to carry it all. Some deep bases have enough material to justify making two trips.

Hidden Secrets and Missable Content

Some of the best content in abandoned bases is hidden. Secret rooms, locked storage, hidden PDAs, and easter eggs are tucked away in corners and behind walls. Dedicated explorers can find things that most players never see. Here are some of the most interesting hidden secrets in Subnautica 2's abandoned bases.

The "Arcade Room" is a well-known hidden area in the Lava Castle Precursor Base. Behind a seemingly normal wall panel, there is a small room with a playable arcade machine (a simple Subnautica-themed mini-game). Finding it requires careful exploration of the facility -- the hidden switch is in an unmarked side corridor. The arcade game itself is surprisingly fun and even has a high score system.

Top Hidden Secrets

Marguerit's Stash in the Degasi Deep Base is another fan favorite. Marguerit Maida, the Degasi's pilot, had a hidden cache of supplies and a personal PDA that reveals her side of the story. To find it, go to the storage room in the Degasi deep base and look for a loose floor panel in the corner. The stash contains a modified weapon upgrade and her final PDA log, which reveals what happened to her after the rest of the crew disappeared.

Time Capsules are another interesting hidden feature. These are small capsules buried around the planet that contain messages and items left by other players (or procedurally generated to feel like it). Finding one is always a surprise -- you never know what you will get. Some contain useful supplies, some contain inspiring messages, and some contain jokes. Use your scanner room to search for unusual metal signatures if you want to hunt for them.

The key to finding secrets is thoroughness. In every base, check every wall, every floor panel, every storage container. If something looks slightly off -- a wall that does not quite line up, a floor panel with a different texture, a door that seems to lead nowhere -- investigate. More often than not, there is something interesting behind it.