In a dramatic twist to the development of Subnautica 2, Krafton, the parent company of Unknown Worlds, has accused the studio’s three co-founders of abandoning their roles and responsibilities, leading to delays in the game’s early access launch. Krafton recently revealed that Charlie Cleveland, Max McGuire, and Ted Gill, the studio’s founding members, are no longer part of the development team, replaced by Steve Papoutsis, former head of Striking Distance Studios. This unexpected change raised concerns among players about the future of Subnautica 2, especially since these three individuals were seen as the backbone of the game’s vision.
Despite the upheaval, the remaining team members at Unknown Worlds reassured the community that the game’s development was still on track and that they were extremely proud of the progress they were making.
Cleveland, in a heartfelt farewell message, stated that Subnautica 2 was slated for early access release by the end of 2025 and that the departure of the co-founders was a surprising turn of events.
However, the situation took a further twist when Bloomberg reported that the game’s release was delayed until 2026, just as Unknown Worlds was nearing a $250 million bonus linked to revenue targets set when Krafton acquired the studio in 2021. With the delay, these revenue goals were rendered “unattainable,” and speculation began to grow that Krafton may have intentionally delayed the game to avoid paying out the large bonus.
Hours after the report, Krafton issued a statement denying any financial motivations behind the delay. According to Krafton, the decision to push the game into 2026 was based on feedback from an internal playtest, with Krafton executives believing that Subnautica 2 needed more content before it could enter early access.
As the situation continued to unfold, Krafton released a detailed statement directly blaming the co-founders for the delay, accusing them of “abandoning” their roles and failing to meet the expectations set for them. Krafton claimed that 90% of the $250 million bonus was designated for the co-founders, with the expectation that they would remain actively involved in the development of Subnautica 2. However, Krafton stated that the co-founders had chosen to focus on personal projects rather than the game, leaving the studio in disarray.
In light of this, Krafton emphasized that it would honor the promises made to the remaining employees at Unknown Worlds and ensure fair compensation for their tireless work. However, the rift between Krafton and the former leadership has sparked further questions about the future of Subnautica 2 and whether a legal battle could be in the cards. As more details emerge, the situation is likely to get even more complicated.