Arctic

The Arctic regions are large biomes characterized by rugged, rocky terrain on the seafloor and icebergs on the surface. There are two main regions, one located to the east and one to the west.

East Iceberg Zone

Approaching the Caldera: Inactive volcano detected nearby. ― PDA

Approaching the Large Iceberg: Moulin in nearby iceberg detected: a hollow chamber typically formed by glacial melt. ― PDA

The East Iceberg Zone is located in the northeast, bordering the Lilypad Islands, Purple Vents, Sparse Arctic, and World Edge. Various points of interest can be found on the icebergs here, with Marguerit's Greenhouse having been built on one, and another having a crashed Satellite built by the Architects.

The East Iceberg Zone seafloor is relatively similar to its western counterpart, apart from the large, resource-rich dormant caldera that can be found near the border with the Lilypad Islands. This caldera appears to have since scarred the nearby landscape with small trenches and fissures in which many resources, such as Lithium, Ruby, and Diamond, can be found as well as few Large Resource Deposits. A Chelicerate patrols the caldera, however.

In the center of the caldera is a Ground Sampler. Glow Whales can be seen throughout most of the biome, alongside Arctic Rays and Titan Holefish.

There is a cave system found inside the largest iceberg in the biome, located East of the caldera. If the player swims up the cave they'll find a sealed ice hole which must be cut with a Laser Cutter. An Ice Bubble can be used nearby to replenish oxygen. Once cut, the player will be able to swim up and out of the water into a cave containing Ore Veins filled with Magnetite and Diamond.

Bladderfish, Rockgrubs, and Titan Holefish Eggs are found inside the large iceberg's cave system and in a moulin northeast of said iceberg.

Resources

• Copper Ore
• Diamond
• Fevered Pepper
• Frost Vase Plant
• Gold
• Ion Cube
• Large Copper Deposit
• Large Titanium Deposit
• Large Quartz Deposit
• Limestone Outcrop
• Lithium
• Magnetite
• Pengwing Egg
• Ruby
• Snowball
• Titan Holefish Egg
• Titanium

Fauna

• Arctic Peeper
• Arctic Ray
• Bladderfish
• Boomerang
• Chelicerate
• Glow Whale
• Pengling
• Pengwing
• Pinnacarid
• Rockgrub
• Titan Holefish

Flora

• Blue Scrub Bush
• Creepvine
• Fevered Pepper Tree
• Frost Anemone
• Frost Vase Plant
• Honeycomb Fungus
• Redwort
• Thermal Lily
• Violet Beau
• Light Stick

Underwater overview during the day

Underwater overview during the night

The Satellite iceberg

Marguerit Maida's iceberg

Pengwings on an ice floe

A roaring Pinnacarid

Life under the Arctic sea

A Glow Whale reaching for the surface

Brinicles underneath the icebergs

A Frost Anemone growing under an iceberg

The Chelicerate

The dormant caldera

The seafloor

West Iceberg Zone

Approaching the Large Iceberg: Hollow chamber in iceberg interior detected. ― PDA

The West Iceberg Zone is located in the southwest, and borders the Arctic Kelp Forest, Glacial Connection, Glacial Bay, Thermal Spires, Tree Spires, and World Edge.

The West Iceberg Zone's northern reaches are dominated by a sprawling collection of lively icebergs. Both underwater and surface vegetation is much more common in the West Arctic than its eastern counterpart. The southern portion of the biome is absent of icebergs but supports multiple blooms of Eye Jellies under the waves. Large, rocky formations cover the seafloor of the West Arctic, including large boulders and large hill ranges. The seafloor also hosts small pockets of flora littered towards the northern portion of the biome, underneath the icebergs.

Two Blue Trivalve Eggs can be found in a cave, on the surface. A Snowfox equipped with a Snowfox Hop Module is required to reach them.

An Ion Cube can be found in a cave inside a hollow iceberg. A Laser Cutter is required to get to it.

There are rich Ore Veins inside the surface's caves. One of them even requires a Spy Pengling to grab the Gold in it.

Similar to its eastern counterpart, Bladderfish, Rockgrubs, and Titan Holefish Eggs are found inside the icebergs' moulins.

Resources

• Blue Trivavle Egg
• Copper Ore
• Creepvine Sample
• Diamond
• Fevered Pepper
• Gold
• Ion Cube
• Large Copper Deposit
• Large Titanium Deposit
• Large Quartz Deposit
• Limestone Outcrop
• Magnetite
• Pengwing Egg
• Silver Ore
• Snowball
• Titanium
• Titan Holefish Egg

Fauna

• Arctic Peeper
• Arctic Ray
• Bladderfish
• Boomerang
• Eye Jelly
• Pengling
• Pengwing
• Pinnacarid
• Rockgrub
• Titan Holefish

Flora

• Creepvine
• Fevered Pepper Tree
• Hardy Cave Bush
• Honeycomb Fungus
• Pouch Bulb
• Redwort Relative
• Thermal Lily
• Violet Beau
• Violet Snowcone

Surface overview during day

Surface overview during night

An iceberg populated by colonies of Honeycomb Fungi

Pouch Bulbs and Violet Snowcones dominating an iceberg

Underwater overview during day

Underwater overview during night

The interior of a moulin

Ditto

Pengwings and Penglings atop a large ice floe

Concept Art

Ice formation concepts #4 - by Dima Pertsula

Ice formation concepts #5 - by Dima Pertsula

Concept art above water - by Cory Strader

Concept art for an unspecified area within the Arctic - by Pat Presley

Concept art for an unspecified area within the Arctic - by Pat Presley

Trivia

• The Arctic used to host a small group of Sea Emperor Leviathans before they were cut completely due to story change.
• A deep variant of the biome was planned during development, which was intended to be the holding place for the cut Ice Dragon Leviathan.
• This biome would have also lead to the also cut Methane Ice Caves.
• It may be possible that during early development the surface used music and ambience from early versions of Subnautica. In early footage of Below Zero, some horn ambience can be heard, as well as some specific music pieces. Assuming the biome ID used is simply "arctic", it would have used ambience and music data taken from the original Subnautica. Going off Context Clues from footage and facts from the original Subnautica, its very likely this is the case. By Early Access, no music or unique ambience would end up playing. Only later on would the biome receive unique ambience and music.