US EditionSubnautica 2 Publisher Krafton Blames Leads for Delay in Statement, Saying They 'Abandoned Responsibilities'
SOUTH KOREA, JUL 9 – Krafton delayed Subnautica 2 to 2026 amid leadership changes and controversy, potentially avoiding a $250 million bonus payout to the development team, according to multiple reports.
- Krafton delayed the early access release of Subnautica 2 to 2026 and replaced the studio's leadership last week, with new CEO Steve Papoutsis taking over.
- The delay followed Krafton's view that the game was not ready for release and involved adding more content, despite former leaders opposing the postponement.
- Krafton accused the studio's leadership, including Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, of neglecting their responsibilities by prioritizing personal ventures, while Cleveland insisted that the game was prepared for early access release.
- A $250 million bonus tied to 2025 revenue targets, mainly earmarked for the removed leaders and shared with about 100 employees, is at risk due to the delay.
- Krafton promised fair compensation for remaining staff and aims to deliver a higher-quality game, while fan boycotts emerged following leadership dismissals and bonus concerns.
37 Articles
37 Articles
Report: Subnautica 2 Team Could Miss $250 Million Payout After Publisher Delays It To 2026 Against The Founders' Wishes
Subnautica 2 is one of the most wishlisted games on Steam, and it’s no longer coming out in 2025. According to a new report by Bloomberg, publisher Krafton has decided to delay the underwater survival sim until 2026 which would likely deny the developers making the game a $250 million payout. That’s despite Unknown…Read more...
This year there will be no launch at Subnautica 2. Instead, Krafton, the parent company of Unknown Worlds, has decided to delay the launch until next year. At first glance, it may not seem like much, but under the calm waters rages among developers. Not only were the founding members recently expelled from management, but this delay also ruins any hope of a $250 million bonus for staff. This bonus was linked to the team’s reaching certain revenu…
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