Shortly after this story went dwell, Krafton confirmed that Subnautica 2 has been delayed into 2026, saying that playtests “supplied some perception that there are just a few areas the place we would have liked to enhance earlier than launching the primary model of Subnautica 2 to the world. Our neighborhood is on the coronary heart of how we develop, so we wish to give ourselves slightly further time to reply to extra of that suggestions earlier than releasing the sport into Early Entry.”
In a separate assertion supplied to PC Gamer, Krafton mentioned the brand new launch date was not prompted by contractual obligations to Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds.
“This determination was primarily based solely on our dedication to high quality and to delivering the absolute best expertise for gamers,” a Krafton spokesperson mentioned. “It was not influenced by any contractual or monetary issues. Moreover, the choice had already been underneath dialogue previous to current management adjustments on the studio.”
Authentic story: Only a week after gutting the management of Subnautica 2 studio Unknown Worlds, a Bloomberg report says Krafton goes to delay the sport’s early entry launch into 2026. The choice comes mere months earlier than the PUBG writer was slated to pay Unknown Worlds a $250 million bonus that builders say hinged on Subnautica 2’s launch this 12 months.
Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds in 2021, three years after the hit undersea survival sport Subnautica left early entry and went into full launch. The acquisition settlement, in accordance with Bloomberg, included the $250 million bonus, payable if the studio achieved particular income targets by the tip of 2025; with Subnautica 2 delayed into 2026, these targets are unlikely to be met, and thus the bonus is not going to be payable.
Unknown Worlds management had reportedly deliberate to separate the bonus with all the studio’s roughly 100 staff, payouts value tons of of 1000’s and even hundreds of thousands for some. These leaders—Subnautica designer and director Charlie Cleveland, CEO Ted Gill, and studio co-founder Max McGuire—had been unexpectedly proven the door final week, nevertheless.

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The report provides a brand new dimension to a current assertion made by Cleveland, who mentioned earlier this week that Subnautica 2 “is prepared for early entry launch.” Talking to Unknown Worlds staff throughout a city corridor additionally held this week, nevertheless, newly put in CEO Steve Papoutsis, previously the CEO of Krafton’s Putting Distance Studios, insisted in any other case, and mentioned Subnautica 2 is being held again so builders can add extra content material.
When requested throughout that city corridor whether or not the delay was made so Krafton may keep away from paying the bonus, Papoutsis mentioned he is not acquainted with the specifics of its deal to amass Unknown Worlds, however that “it’s by no means been instructed to me that we’re making this transformation particularly to influence any earnout or something like that.”

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