PCGame

Natural Selection 2

Team-based sci-fi shooter mixing marine-alien combat with real-time strategy

Unknown Worlds Entertainment · Published by Unknown Worlds Entertainment, KRAFTON, Inc. · Released Oct 30, 2012

ActionIndieStrategy

Reviews
Very Positive
85% of 9,044
Recent reviews
Very Positive
100% of 13 in 30 days
Players
60
daily peak, Nov 7, 2026
Steam Deck
Playable
Last update on Steam
3 years ago
Dec 30, 2022
Minimum PC
DirectX 11 GPU, 2 GB
6 GB RAM · 13 GB disk
Full requirements

Metacritic: 80/100 (critic reviews)

What is Natural Selection 2?

Natural Selection 2 is a team-based sci-fi shooter and real-time strategy game in which human marines battle alien Kharaa in online matches. Most players fight in first person with marine weapons or alien lifeform abilities, while each team's commander directs teammates from above, places structures, and manages resources and research.

For you if...

  • +you enjoy coordinated, competitive matches with different team roles
  • +you like combining first-person combat with real-time strategy

Not for you if...

  • −you prefer solo play to online team matches
  • −you want straightforward shooting without team strategy

What players say

85% of 9,044 reviews are positive · 100% of 13 in the last 30 days

Players praise the mix of first-person combat and commander-led strategy, especially the teamwork and different marine and alien playstyles. Many say the small player base makes populated servers hard to find and that experienced regulars are unwelcoming to newcomers.

Players over time

▼ -2% vs a month ago

Players online on Steam, one sample a day.

Highest since Sep 2026: 136 players on Oct 11, 2026.

Show the data
DayPlayers
Nov 7, 202660
Nov 6, 202680
Nov 5, 202680
Nov 4, 202694
Nov 3, 202689
Nov 2, 202672
Nov 1, 202687
Oct 31, 202670
Oct 30, 202658
Oct 29, 202671
Oct 28, 202665
Oct 27, 202626
Oct 27, 202680
Oct 26, 202648
Oct 25, 202691
Oct 24, 202671
Oct 23, 202677
Oct 22, 20260
Oct 21, 202673
Oct 20, 202677
Oct 19, 202667
Oct 18, 202677
Oct 17, 202654
Oct 16, 202673
Oct 15, 202662
Oct 14, 202671
Oct 13, 202673
Oct 12, 202682
Oct 11, 2026136
Oct 10, 202678
Oct 9, 202674
Oct 8, 202675
Oct 7, 202667
Oct 6, 202680
Oct 5, 202662
Oct 4, 202682
Oct 3, 2026107
Oct 2, 202677
Oct 1, 202675
Sep 30, 202683
Sep 29, 202670
Sep 28, 202674
Sep 27, 202677
Sep 26, 202675
Sep 25, 202674
Sep 24, 202657
Sep 23, 202619
Sep 23, 202652
Sep 22, 202655
Sep 21, 202680

Screenshots and trailer

Natural Selection 2 screenshot 1

Natural Selection 2 system requirements

Minimum: DirectX 11 GPU, 2 GB, 6 GB RAM, 13 GB of disk space.

As published by the developer.

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Minimum

OS
7 64-Bit (SP1) or Windows 10 64-Bit
Processor
Dual-core processor 2.4 GHz (Intel Core 2 Duo, i3), 2.6 GHz (AMD Athlon or FX)
Graphics
DirectX 11 compatible dedicated video card with 2 GB VRAM
Memory
6 GB RAM
Storage
13 GB HD space
Notes
Broadband Internet connection

Recommended

OS
7 64-Bit (SP1) or Windows 10 64-Bit
Processor
Quad-core processor 3.2 GHz (Intel i5, i7) or 3.6 GHz (AMD Ryzen, FX or Athlon)
Graphics
DirectX 11 compatible dedicated video card with 4GB VRAM
Memory
8 GB RAM
Storage
13 GB HD space
Notes
Broadband Internet connection

Does Natural Selection 2 have co-op or multiplayer?

Yes: PvP online. There is no single-player mode.

Does Natural Selection 2 run on Steam Deck?

Playable Playable: it runs on Steam Deck with some adjustments.

  • Default controller config not fully functional
  • Sometimes shows mouse, keyboard or non-Deck controller icons
  • Some text entry requires manually opening the on-screen keyboard
  • In-game text is legible on Steam Deck
  • Default graphics settings perform well on Steam Deck

PC version details

DRM
None declared on Steam
Controller
Keyboard and mouse
Platforms
Windows
Achievements
137
Steam features
Workshop, Cloud saves, Family Sharing, Trading cards
Languages
Full audio: English. Text only: French, German, Spanish - Spain, Polish, Russian, Finnish, Romanian, Swedish, Czech.

Does Natural Selection 2 use AI-generated content?

No AI-generated content is disclosed on the game's Steam page.

Self-reported by the developer under Steam rules: it covers AI content that ships in the game, not tools used to make it. Steam page checked on Nov 7, 2026. How to filter AI games on Steam

Tags

Recent updates

10 DLC available.

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