The abrupt leadership change at Unknown Worlds and the delay of Subnautica 2 point to a cynical corporate move by publisher Krafton to avoid a massive $250 million bonus, betraying the development team and alarming fans.
A significant corporate controversy surrounds the development of Subnautica 2, the anticipated sequel from developer Unknown Worlds. The conflict stems from actions taken by its parent company and publisher, Krafton, Inc., which include the abrupt removal of the studio's founding leadership and a delay of the game's early access release from 2025 to 2026. This move is viewed with extreme suspicion by both the development community and the public due to its timing and financial implications.
The core of the dispute is a $250 million performance bonus that was tied to revenue targets achievable by the end of 2025. The ousted Unknown Worlds leadership states the game is ready for its early access launch and that they intended to share this life-changing bonus with the studio's entire staff. In contrast, Krafton maintains that the delay is necessary to ensure a higher quality product for players. This official reasoning directly conflicts with the former leadership's assessment and the fact that the Subnautica series has a successful history with early access launches.
This situation highlights a tense dynamic in publisher-developer relationships and raises serious questions about corporate accountability. While the publisher’s stated goal is player satisfaction, the evidence strongly suggests a calculated maneuver to avoid a massive payout at the expense of the creative team. The game remains one of the most wishlisted titles on Steam, but the surrounding controversy and calls for a boycott threaten to overshadow its release, potentially causing significant reputational damage to Krafton.
