Krafton Accused of Delaying Subnautica 2 to Avoid $250M Payout
â–Ľ Summary
– The ousted founders of Unknown Worlds sued Krafton, accusing the publisher of sabotaging Subnautica 2 to avoid a $250M earnout and seizing control of the studio.
– Krafton allegedly delayed Subnautica 2’s early access release to prevent triggering the payout, despite the game’s strong wishlist numbers and positive playtest feedback.
– The lawsuit claims Krafton undermined development by reassigning teams, withholding resources, and taking control of the studio’s websites without founder approval.
– Krafton fired the founders, citing development struggles, but the lawsuit alleges it was to avoid the earnout, breaching their 2021 acquisition agreement.
– The founders seek $250M plus legal fees and reinstatement, while Krafton defends the delay as necessary to meet fan expectations.
The legal battle between Krafton and the former leaders of Unknown Worlds has escalated dramatically, with explosive allegations that the publisher deliberately sabotaged Subnautica 2 to avoid a massive $250 million payout. According to a newly filed lawsuit, Krafton allegedly interfered with development, seized control of the studio, and ousted its founders, all to prevent the game’s successful launch within a contractual window that would trigger the hefty earnout.
The dispute centers on the 2021 acquisition agreement, which promised Unknown Worlds’ founders significant financial rewards if Subnautica 2 met certain performance milestones. With the sequel already amassing nearly 2.5 million wishlists on Steam and positive feedback from playtests, the lawsuit claims Krafton saw the impending success as a liability. Internal communications allegedly reveal CEO Changhan Kim calling a planned 2025 early access release “disastrous” for the company, citing concerns over the payout.
Instead of supporting the project, Krafton is accused of systematically undermining it. The suit details how the publisher reassigned the game to a Korean team with language barriers, withdrew marketing resources, and even canceled a planned PC Gamer cover story. Worse, it alleges Krafton took over the studio’s official websites without consulting the founders, posting statements that misrepresented development delays and disparaged their leadership.
When negotiations over the payout collapsed, Krafton allegedly resorted to threats, accusing the founders of breaching their contracts before ultimately firing them. The lawsuit argues these actions violated multiple clauses in the acquisition deal, including promises to maintain creative control and avoid interfering with the earnout. Now, the ousted founders, Charlie Cleveland, Ted Gill, and Max McGuire, are demanding the full $250 million, plus reinstatement at Unknown Worlds.
Krafton denies any financial motives behind the delay, insisting the decision was purely about quality. A spokesperson stated that rushing an unfinished game would disappoint fans and harm the franchise’s reputation. However, Cleveland maintains the game was ready for early access, calling Krafton’s actions a “flagrant breach” of trust.
With both sides digging in, the case could have far-reaching implications for studio acquisitions and publisher-developer relationships in the gaming industry. For now, Subnautica 2’s fate hangs in the balance, caught between corporate maneuvering and the passionate fanbase eagerly awaiting its release.
(Source: PCGAMER)
