Unknown Worlds Co-Founders Allege Krafton Has “Pivoted to a New Theory” Mid-Litigation

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I’ve been following the lawsuit between Krafton and the original creators of *Subnautica* – Charlie Cleveland, Ted Gill, and Max McGuire – and it’s getting really interesting. Apparently, the three founders are claiming Krafton has been shifting its story during the legal battle. I just read about it on GamesIndustry.biz – they’ve shared statements from the founders themselves!

The three individuals claim Krafton initially accused them of planning to release *Subnautica 2* too early, and then used concerns about the game not being ready as justification for firing them.

So, it turns out Unknown Worlds is now claiming they fired the original founders and took over because the founders copied some work files – files they actually *had* permission to access. It’s a pretty strange excuse, honestly, and they admit they came up with this reason *after* the fact. It feels like they’re trying to justify their actions after the fact, and it’s a little frustrating as a fan.

The analysts pointed out that Krafton’s explanation for its actions is confusing and leaves many things unclear. They believe Krafton’s new argument is a desperate attempt to justify its decisions, especially since the data downloads weren’t actually unauthorized and Krafton didn’t discover them until *after* firing the founders. This suggests the downloads weren’t the real reason for the terminations.

Krafton asked the court to examine certain data, but the court refused. This refusal stemmed from Krafton repeatedly changing its arguments in the case. The court had previously denied a similar request on September 12th, but made it clear that Krafton could ask again in the future if needed.

The legal dispute, which began in July, involves the three co-founders of Subnautica 2 accusing Krafton of intentionally delaying the game’s Early Access launch for several months. Originally planned for release this year, Subnautica 2 is now expected in 2026, with Krafton stating the game wasn’t finished. This decision also led to the removal of the co-founders, who maintain the game was ready for release.

In late July, Unknown Worlds CEO Steve Papoutsis addressed the lawsuit, stating that he didn’t believe Krafton was holding back any money owed to the studio or its three founders, despite the co-founders’ claims.

Papoutsis clarified, ‘That’s not how I see it at all. When I was invited to join and support the team, Krafton only expressed enthusiasm for creating a fantastic game.’

We’re focused on supporting our players, prioritizing the creative development of the game, and making sure that when we launch in Early Access, it’s a positive experience that lives up to player expectations. That’s been the core of every conversation I’ve had, and it’s a big reason why I was excited to take on this role.

The latest developer update for *Subnautica 2* revealed a new creature called the Collector Leviathan.

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2025-09-19 17:11