Subnautica 2 Studio Co-Founders Accuse Krafton of “Months-Long” Campaign to Delay the Game

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A comprehensive look into the conflict between Subnautica’s developer, Unknown Worlds, and its publisher Krafton. In a detailed 58-page lawsuit filed by Unknown Worlds co-founders Charles Cleveland, Adam McGuire, and Edward Gill against Krafton, they allege that the publisher has violated not only the specific terms but also the underlying intentions of the agreement to acquire Unknown Worlds.

The central issue in the lawsuit, as reported by Kotaku, revolves around a $250 million payment that was included when Krafton bought Unknown Worlds for $500 million. The three founders allege that the publisher has been trying to postpone the launch of Subnautica 2 for several months now. The exact compensation they are seeking through this lawsuit will be decided during the trial.

According to the court documents, Krafton allegedly undertook a prolonged strategy to postpone the release of Subnautica 2. This included withholding essential promotional resources, neglecting critical collaborations, and backing out of established agreements to manage significant pre-launch responsibilities.

As reported by the co-founders, Krafton failed to uphold several promises made to them. These included:

1. Maintaining creative and operational control in the hands of the founders. This promise was breached.
2. Consulting with the founders before taking any action that might potentially harm the earnout. Again, this was a broken promise.
3. Avoiding actions primarily intended to thwart the earnout. This pledge was also not kept.
4. Not terminating the founders without just cause. Unfortunately, this too was a breached promise.

Krafton has expressed their own thoughts on the subject, as reported by GamesRadar. They stated they were unhappy about the situation, and that the publisher is making choices to help make Subnautica 2 an outstanding game that meets fan expectations.

In a recent announcement, Krafton expressed that their decisions for Subnautica 2 are aimed at creating an exceptional game that meets fan expectations. They believe that launching the game too early with inadequate content would disappoint players, who are crucial to Krafton’s mission, and potentially damage both the Subnautica and Unknown Worlds brands.

Despite being disheartened by Charlie, Max, and Ted’s decision to file a lawsuit for a substantial compensation, we are eager to present our case in court. In the interim, Krafton remains committed to our primary objective: providing the best gaming experience to the fans of Subnautica, as swiftly as possible.

Last week, I took to social media to announce a lawsuit against Krafton, stating that as one of the co-founders, it’s important we set things right. Contrary to rumors, the earnings from our life’s work, Subnautica, are not being kept solely by us three founders. It’s crucial to clarify this misinformation and ensure transparency in our actions.

In his message, he clarified that the notion of him, Max, and Ted keeping the earnout or bonus solely for themselves was absolutely false. He emphasized that his passion lies in the industry itself rather than accumulating wealth. Throughout his career, they have consistently shared profits with their team, a practice they followed even during the sale of the studio. Rest assured, they will continue to honor the earnout/bonus, recognizing the team’s exceptional efforts in bringing this fantastic game to you.

To learn further insights about the conflict between Krafton and Unknown Worlds, feel free to explore our perspective on this topic.

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2025-07-17 15:41