HTC Vive

HTC Vive Support is not yet fully built into the game. As a result, using SteamVR will not work with the Vive Controllers, though, this is coming in the future proven by one of their posts on Trello so players will have to use a PS4 or Xbox One controller instead. However, it will probably never fully be added to VR, according to this post.   To increase immersion, it is advised not to use cheats.

In the "Crash Site" update, HTC Vive support was highly increased, making it possible for the player to use all relevant menus. More support may appear post-1.0.

To play with the HTC Vive, select the "Subnautica with SteamVR" button when starting the game.

About
The HTC Vive uses custom tracking technology to provide ultra-low latency 360° head tracking, allowing the player to seamlessly look around the virtual world just as they would in real life. Every subtle movement of the player's head is tracked in real-time, creating a natural and intuitive experience.

The HTC Vive provides an approximately 110° field of view, stretching the virtual world beyond peripheral vision. The player's view of the game is no longer boxed in on a screen and is only limited by what their eyes can see. The combination of the wide field of view with head-tracking and stereoscopic 3D creates an immersive virtual reality experience. In addition, the extra view and ability to move one's head around more than outside of VR grants the player the ability to see things they usually wouldn't be able to due to the limitations of the game. (i.e., looking through the glass floor in a seamoth, looking back while piloting a cyclops, leaning forward to peer up close at a fish, etc.)

Until Subnautica sees more support for VR, (perhaps sometime after 1.0), players may sometimes experience a phenomena in which their head floats off their in-game body- this is due to the player model's current inability to match the movements of a player's head, and/or the game mistaking the player's height or tracking errors. This most commonly happens when the player enters a vehicle, (i.e. seamoth, prawn, cyclops) in which the player model is stationary in the driver's seat but the player is still able to move about.

Trivia

 * In stereoscopic virtual reality, unlike on a screen, a player can get a sense of scale in the game.