Quick Answer
Do not assume built-in voice chat or proximity chat is available unless your current build confirms it. For now, co-op groups should use an external voice channel, agree on short callouts, and treat distance as a gameplay problem even if the voice app keeps everyone connected.
Current Status
Voice and proximity chat sit in the co-op improvement conversation because Subnautica 2 exploration is naturally split: one player scans, one farms, one drives, and both can lose each other in caves. Until built-in support is confirmed, the safest guide advice is practical communication habits.
Why players ask for proximity chat
Subnautica works because distance feels meaningful. If one player disappears into a cave, the other should feel the uncertainty of that choice. Proximity chat would fit that mood better than a clean always-on call because it turns communication into part of exploration. You would need to stay close, surface together, or accept that a split route has a real cost.
At the same time, many co-op groups simply want reliable voice. They are not roleplaying distance; they are trying to keep a friend from drowning while arguing about which silver-looking rock is actually useful. Both needs are valid. That is why players search for voice chat and proximity chat separately, even though both live under co-op communication.
What to do in the current build
Use an external voice app and make the callouts short. "Turning back," "low air," "scanner target," "Hammerhead left," and "inventory full" are better than long explanations while someone is inside a cave. Decide before the route who has authority to call the retreat. If either player says air is bad, the group leaves.
If you want proximity-style tension, fake it with rules. Stay within sight during dangerous routes, require a beacon or landmark call before splitting, and do not let one player drag the other into a story marker without checking supplies. The game will not enforce those rules for you, but the route will feel better when the group respects them.
What EA 1.2 could improve
The EA 1.2 co-op bucket is the natural place to watch for communication upgrades, alongside revive, trading and social tools. The important caveat is that roadmap buckets are not final patch notes. A feature can move, arrive in a different form, or need another pass after release. When EA 1.2 lands, check the actual settings menu before rewriting group habits.
If built-in voice arrives, the useful questions will become more specific: is it push-to-talk, is proximity optional, can cross-platform groups use it cleanly, and does it handle underwater chaos without cutting out the wrong calls? Until those answers exist, a simple external channel remains the reliable choice.
Communication tips for map routes
When using the interactive map, one player should own the filter. If both players keep changing search terms, the group loses the plan. Call the active filter out loud: Silver, Tadpole fragments, Hammerhead reports, oxygen route, or story marker. Then keep the route focused until that job is done.
For longer trips, agree on two landmarks: the point where you turn back and the point where you regroup if separated. This matters more than built-in voice because panic usually starts when the map, the vehicle and the players all point in different directions. Good callouts make even a basic voice setup feel organized.
