Former Subnautica 2 Leaders Accuse Krafton of Hindering Game's Release, Firing Them to Avoid Paying $250 Million Bonus

The crippled continues to thicken successful the ongoing conflict betwixt the erstwhile enactment of Subnautica 2 workplace Unknown Worlds, and genitor institution Krafton, present with the studio's founders alleging successful a suit that Krafton went retired of its mode to hinder Subnautica 2's development, hold the game, and yet occurrence them from the workplace aft it learned it whitethorn person to wage retired a $250 cardinal bonus to employees if the crippled were to beryllium released connected time.

In a newly-unsealed ailment reported by Bloomberg and shared by Aftermath, erstwhile Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill, and chap co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire assertion their narration with Krafton, arsenic good arsenic the improvement of the game, was each going good up until aboriginal 2025, erstwhile the leaders presented Krafton with caller gross projections that suggested Subnautica 2 would bash amended than they initially anticipated. They besides accidental they tried to negociate for developers who had joined the squad aboriginal and were not presently eligible for bonuses to person them.

The erstwhile leaders assertion that upon learning this, Krafton began to suggest the crippled beryllium delayed, allegedly combing done contracts to find if they had a ineligible lasting to unit a delay, contempt the declaration saying the determination laic with Unknown Worlds. They accidental that Krafton adjacent went truthful acold arsenic to instrumentality enactment to marque it hard oregon intolerable for it to merchandise connected time. Krafton began offering feedback that the crippled was not acceptable for its aboriginal entree launch, pulled selling materials, and refusing to travel done connected definite pre-launch commitments. Ultimately, the founders accidental this culminated successful Krafton letting the 3 of them spell earlier this period and officially delaying Subnautica 2.

While Krafton has since extended the bonus play for the remaining employees to person their earnout if targets are hit, notably Krafton has claimed that the erstwhile enactment was eligible for 90% of the bonuses, meaning Krafton would lone person to wage a maximum of $25 cardinal if targets are met, not $250 million.

The founders' suit accuses Krafton of breach of declaration and demands payout of the afloat bonus promised arsenic good arsenic damages and different costs.

The play astir Subnautica 2 kicked disconnected earlier this period erstwhile Krafton announced abruptly that it was replacing the 3 founders with erstwhile Striking Distance CEO Steve Papoutsis efficaciously immediately, which Gill, Cleveland, and McGuire claimed was a "shock" to them. In the pursuing weeks, reports person emerged regarding the $250 cardinal bonus promised to staff, and Krafton has made statements accusing the erstwhile leaders of neglecting their duties and saying that Subnautica 2 was not successful an acceptable authorities for launch. In particular, Krafton alleged that Cleveland was told to halt devoting clip to a idiosyncratic task and absorption connected his duties astatine the studio. The lawsuit, filed past week, counters that this idiosyncratic task was a Subnautica film, and was worked connected astatine the explicit petition of Krafton.

The readiness of Subnautica 2 remains an unfastened question. Leaked documents since verified by Krafton corroborate that Unknown Worlds was receiving feedback from the steadfast that the crippled was not acceptable for aboriginal entree launch. However, a study from Bloomberg that sources developers connected the project, arsenic good arsenic the suit from the founders, suggest it was successful bully shape.

Rebekah Valentine is simply a elder newsman for IGN. You tin find her posting connected BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a communicative tip? Send it to [email protected].