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The Subnautica 2 legal battle between Krafton and Unknown Worlds ends in a settlement; Ted Gill, briefly reinstated as CEO, steps down as new leadership takes over, while Krafton funds expanded bonuses for the devs and Unknown Worlds continues leading development with external leadership and continued support.
Krafton and Unknown Worlds Entertainment settled their dispute over a potential $250 million bonus tied to Subnautica 2, with bonuses now paid to all staff in three installments and CEO Ted Gill leaving; the earlier ouster of cofounders preceded Gill’s reinstatement and the game’s early-access launch, which has sold 4 million copies in five days; terms were not disclosed.
Krafton has settled with Unknown Worlds over a disputed $250 million bonus tied to Subnautica 2, with CEO Ted Gill resigning; bonuses will be paid to the entire Unknown Worlds staff in three installments, likely exceeding initial promises, and the studio is expected to appoint external leadership.
Krafton is reportedly agreeing to pay the $250 million milestone bonus to Unknown Worlds after Subnautica 2 shipped and became a hit (roughly 4 million copies sold and about $100 million in revenue), ending a year-long dispute that included the firing of the founders and a court ruling related to Krafton’s use of ChatGPT to avoid the payout.
Krafton reportedly agreed to pay up to $250 million in earnout to Unknown Worlds’ developers for Subnautica 2 after strong early sales, ending a legal dispute that led to the ousting and later reinstatement of the studio’s leadership. The payout is said to equate to about 35% of Krafton’s last year’s operating profit, according to The Korea Economic Daily (via IGN).
Subnautica 2 is selling fast in Early Access, with millions of copies on Steam and a first-month revenue spike that could trigger Krafton’s promise to Unknown Worlds of up to $250 million under a revenue-split deal. The contract would pay roughly $218 million in the first month (before caps) with a $250 million cap, and the final amount will be decided by the court after Krafton’s bid to back out and a trial where Krafton’s CEO reportedly consulted ChatGPT; the cofounders previously won a breach-of-contract ruling, but the exact payout remains to be determined.
Krafton has been ordered to pay Unknown Worlds a $250 million earnout after Subnautica 2 surpassed 4 million copies sold since its May launch. The payout, calculated at about 3.12 dollars for every 1 dollar of revenue up to the cap, follows a legal ruling that reinstated Unknown Worlds’ leadership. Early figures show rapid sales (2 million in 12 hours; 4+ million by May 20) with Steam leading and 2.4 million Game Pass players in the first week, underscoring strong initial performance.
Subnautica 2 has surpassed 4 million copies sold within days of launch, buoyed by strong global reception and ongoing community-informed improvements, even as it faces controversy over a non-violent combat approach and a controversial EULA granting Krafton broad rights over fan content, mods, and other uses.
Subnautica 2 launched in Early Access with strong initial sales, while a Delaware court ruling and ongoing negotiations keep a $250 million earnout tied to Krafton’s acquisition of Unknown Worlds alive, including a founder’s rehiring and an extended payout deadline; the bonus—intended to be shared with up to ~100 staff—appears likely to be paid despite initial efforts to avoid it.
A purported Subnautica 2 build and screenshots have circulated online two days before its May 14 early access release, with the leak’s origin unclear but pointing to the Denuvo cracking group DenuvOwO. The episode unfolds amid a high-profile legal dispute between Unknown Worlds and Krafton over the game’s delay and payout.
Subnautica 2 rolled out a new teaser showing more underwater exploration and crafting as it nears early access on May 14. The reveal came with details from a First Dive Showcase and a two-hour Deep Dive, including a promise of tense, dark atmosphere and new tools, while developers confirm no generative AI was used in development. Buyers in the first week will receive a buildable Reaper statue for bases, as Krafton and Unknown Worlds push toward launch.
Subnautica 2 will launch in day-one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and ASUS ROG Ally on May 14 in early access (Game Preview). It will also be sold outright for $30, with no inclusion in Game Pass Essential or Premium. Krafton co-publishes the title with Unknown Worlds and plans ongoing development during its early access period.
Unknown Worlds’ Subnautica 2, built on Unreal Engine 5, enters early access with surprisingly high PC specs: minimum 12GB RAM to run 1080p/30fps, recommended 16GB RAM with an 8GB GPU, and a claimed 32GB RAM for 4K/60fps, setting a steep hardware bar for players before the May 14 early access launch.
Krafton’s removal from the Subnautica 2 Steam page was described by Unknown Worlds as blown out of proportion; the duo say they’re still co-publishing and Krafton is helping with the Early Access launch, even as their broader legal battle deepens with leadership reinstatement and allegations of a leaked release date; Krafton says it’s evaluating options while continuing to support the game’s launch.
Subnautica 2 will enter early access on May 14 for PC and Xbox Series X/S after a protracted dispute between Unknown Worlds and Krafton, with Krafton co-publishing. Delays pushed the game from 2025 to 2026, but developers say the extra time helped polish the title, which is planned to receive frequent updates over a two-to-three year early access window starting at $29.99.