The controversy over Subnautica 2 continues, especially in the wake of a report by Bloomberg, which alleged that Krafton delayed early access before the studio could receive a $250 million payout as part of its agreement. This followed the replacement of the leadership with Striking Distance CEO Steve Papoutsis and an official delay of early access to next year.
However, Krafton has since provided clarification on the sudden change of leadership and the supposed payout on its home page (via Reddit). The company “deeply values Subnautica’s unique creativity and immersive world-building. To provide fans with even better gaming experiences, we acquired Unknown Worlds, fully committed to supporting Subnautica’s future success. We collaborated closely with the studio’s leadership, who were central to the creation of the original Subnautica, to foster the optimal environment for a successful Subnautica 2.“
It revealed that of the $500 million spent on acquiring the studio, 90 percent of its $250 million earn-out compensation would go to the three co-founders – Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland, and Max McGuire. This was “with the expectation that they would demonstrate leadership and active involvement in the development of Subnautica 2.”
“However, regrettably, the former leadership abandoned the responsibilities entrusted to them. Subnautica 2 was originally planned for an Early Access launch in early 2024, but the timeline has since been significantly delayed.”
The company claims to have “made multiple requests to Charlie and Max to resume their roles as Game Director and Technical Director, respectively, but both declined to do so. In particular, following the failure of Moonbreaker, Krafton asked Charlie to devote himself to the development of Subnautica 2. However, instead of participating in the game development, he chose to focus on a personal film project.”
This “absence of core leadership” has caused “repeated confusion in direction and significant delays in the overall project schedule.” Though Cleveland said the title was ready for early access, Krafton believes it currently falls “short in terms of content volume.”
“We are deeply disappointed by the former leadership’s conduct, and above all, we feel a profound sense of betrayal by their failure to honor the trust placed in them by our fans.” As a result, it made the “difficult yet necessary decision to change the executive leadership.” Interestingly, there’s no mention of Ted Gill, who served as CEO.
Of course, for the third time now, it assures that “Subnautica 2 has been and continues to be actively developed by a dedicated core team who share genuine passion, accountability, and commitment to the game. We deeply respect their expertise and creativity and will continue to provide full and unwavering support, enabling them to focus solely on delivering the exceptional game you deserve.”
Interestingly, it also committed to “fair and equitable compensation for all remaining Unknown Worlds employees who have continuously and tirelessly contributed to Subnautica 2’s development. We believe that the dedication and effort of this team are at the very heart of Subnautica’s ongoing evolution, and we reaffirm our commitment to provide the rewards they were promised.”
In closing, Krafton said that fans will “always remain at the center of every decision we make.” “Moving forward, we promise transparent communication and continued efforts to sustainably develop and expand the beloved Subnautica universe.”
Subnautica 2’s early access will launch for PC and Xbox Series X/S in 2026. According to Unknown Worlds’ delay announcement, the additional time will allow for implementing feedback from playtests and adding more content, including new biomes, creatures, tools, and more. Stay tuned for further updates in the meantime.
