Former Unknown Worlds Founder Shocked at Ousting, Says Subnautica 2 is “Ready for Early Access”

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This past week has brought some unusual events for Unknown Worlds Entertainment. Suddenly, their leadership was dismissed, with Steve Papoutsis stepping up as the new CEO. Despite this change, the developer assures fans that the day-to-day operations within the team remain consistent. However, the former founder, Charlie Cleveland, has shared his thoughts in a statement posted on Reddit.

Cleveland explains that he, Ted Gill, and Max McGuire co-founded the studio, and they’ve been eagerly anticipating the launch of Subnautica 2 into early access. Many team members who began this journey with them around two decades ago have dedicated their efforts to developing Subnautica 2, and they’re now joined by exceptional new recruits who were captivated by the studio due to their admiration for the games and appreciation for our creative process.

Although understanding the lofty demands placed upon them, he articulated that the team had invested their heart and soul into the game, which clearly demonstrates their commitment. We were among the first to introduce early access, and our audience appears equally passionate about it as we are. It’s an exceptional method for developing a game like this. However, the “recent events” came as quite a surprise.

We are prepared to launch the game in its early access phase, and we’re excited for you to join us. However, the ultimate decision lies with Krafton now. After all these years, it’s sad to say that I am no longer employed at the company I founded.

Cleveland emphasizes that the team’s focus is on creating the finest game possible for what he considers the best community globally. Furthermore, he suggests that this isn’t the final chapter of the story.

It’s not yet known when Subnautica 2 will be available for early access, but it is planned to release this year on Xbox Series X/S and PC, including Game Pass. The timing of the launch seems to be at Krafton’s discretion, which implies that they may be making some adjustments to the current game. However, Unknown Worlds has confirmed that the game will primarily focus on a single-player experience, with the option for cooperative play, and there will be no microtransactions, loot boxes, subscriptions, or battle passes.

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2025-07-07 20:41