Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton reportedly delayed it to 2026 — did it just kill a $250 million bonus for devs in the crib?

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Among the most eagerly awaited video games set to be released this year is Subnautica 2, the long-awaited sequel to Unknown Worlds Entertainment’s well-loved underwater exploration game from years ago. Initially, it was scheduled for an Early Access launch on Xbox and PC towards the end of 2025, with a simultaneous debut on Xbox Game Pass. However, it appears that this release has been pushed back to 2026 by publisher Krafton, months before they had intended to award the developers a substantial $250 million bonus.

The news originates from a Bloomberg report stating that individuals privy to Krafton’s plans informed them that the game’s release has been postponed. Notably, it was indicated that the decision to defer the Early Access launch was a point of contention between the former leadership of Unknown Worlds.

It’s worth mentioning that Krafton recently changed its management team led by Unknown Worlds. The roles of founders Charlie Cleveland, Max McGuire, and CEO Ted Gill have been taken over, effective immediately, by Steve Papoutsis who is the current CEO of Striking Distance Studios (The Callisto Protocol).

According to a statement made by Krafton CEO Changhan Kim, “The gamer experience is paramount. Since there’s been so much excitement about Subnautica 2, we want to deliver an exceptional game to our players as quickly as possible, without compromising quality.” The reason for the leadership change wasn’t disclosed.

The previously mentioned $250 million bonus was intended for Unknown Worlds developers if Subnautica 2 reached specific revenue targets by the end of 2025, following its Early Access launch. It’s been said that this substantial amount would have been distributed among the studio’s approximately 100 employees, with each employee anticipating payouts ranging from six to seven figures.

As a tech enthusiast, I’m following the updates on Subnautica 2 closely. Developers have recently announced a delay in its launch, pushing it to next year. This shift in timing makes achieving our sales goals appear highly unlikely. Consequently, it seems the bonus offer may no longer be on the table before the game’s release.

When asked by developers from Unknown Worlds if Krafton had postponed the game intentionally to avoid paying a bonus during a town hall meeting earlier this week, Papoutsis responded, “That’s an insightful question, and I kindly ask for your patience regarding this specific matter.” He further explained that he currently lacked the necessary knowledge to provide more details on the subject.

According to Papoutsis, Subnautica 2 isn’t quite prepared yet for Early Access and requires additional content. However, the former leadership of Unknown Worlds hold a different opinion, as founder Charlie Cleveland expresses: “This week’s developments have come as quite a surprise… We believe that the game is ready to be released in Early Access and we know that you’re eager to play it. Yet, surprisingly, this decision isn’t solely ours to make; instead, it lies with Krafton. After all these years, it’s disheartening to discover that I can no longer work at the company I founded.

Papoutsis stated that while the current version of Subnautica 2 is good, it’s not the absolute best it could be, which is why they decided to delay its release. During a town hall meeting, he clarified that Krafton aims to provide the most exceptional version possible for Early Access. Although everyone involved believes the software is ready for launch, there was no consensus reached on this matter. It’s been made clear to me that this decision isn’t being made with any specific focus on affecting earnings or any similar aspects.

An important delay, or an upsetting betrayal?

It appears that Krafton’s choice to postpone Subnautica 2 might be driven by a sincere ambition to launch the game in Early Access at its best, or it could be a strategic move aimed at avoiding the obligation to pay Unknown Worlds Entertainment the $250 million bonus they were offered.

I lean towards assuming the best about the company, considering they rescued Tango Gameworks from closure last year through acquisition. However, it’s hard to definitively determine their true intentions. Some people might find the timing of the leadership change prior to the delay suspicious, but others could interpret it as Krafton bringing in a new leader more suited to their Early Access release strategy.

A possibility is to rephrase as follows: I find it peculiar that Subnautica 2’s Early Access version is being fine-tuned so meticulously before launch. The essence of Early Access lies in providing developers with ongoing player feedback to help shape their games, meaning it’s natural for there to be some unpolished aspects and incomplete features. However, it could be that the initial Early Access release of Subnautica 2, as envisioned by former Unknown Worlds executives, was perhaps a bit too minimalistic?

I truly hope that Krafton continues their bonus payout offer into the year 2026. If they don’t, it might appear as though they are undeservedly penalizing developers who have done nothing wrong.

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2025-07-09 23:09