All articles tagged with #krafton
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.
Subnautica 2 is set for Early Access on May 14, 2026, about two weeks from now, following a protracted legal dispute between Unknown Worlds and Krafton; a cinematic trailer confirmed the date, though the game remains unfinished, with hopes its Early Access will mirror the original Subnautica’s evolution from early access to a polished 1.0 release.
Studio Kai, the animation studio behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby, reported a net loss of about 248 million yen for its seventh consecutive year, pushing total losses to roughly 565 million yen (~$3.5 million) and signaling insolvency. Fans expect its parent, ADK Holdings (owned by Krafton), to bail them out, despite the studio’s recent high-profile titles and strong Blu-ray sales. Krafton bought ADK for about 75 billion yen in 2025, raising questions about accounting and the business dynamics sustaining such losses amid hit series.
Krafton has discontinued PUBG Blindspot, a free-to-play PC spin-off launched in January, after two months in Early Access due to dwindling players, reiterating its policy of using Early Access to validate a game's potential while continuing work on other PUBG titles.
PUBG: Blindspot, a top-down 5v5 shooter from ARC Team and PUBG Studios, launched in early access in February but failed to attract players, leading Krafton and the developers to shut it down on March 30 after about 54 days of operation, a brief life that echoes the struggles of other live-service titles like Concord.
Krafton’s confirmation of a May Early Access release for Subnautica 2 sparks controversy after Unknown Worlds reinstated CEO Ted Gill; Gill’s lawyers accuse Krafton of contempt and leaking internal communications, arguing the court ordered Gill back with full operating control of the studio and the launch. Krafton says the memo simply celebrated past progress and does not strip Gill’s authority. The ongoing litigation centers on the timing of the ruling and the proper launch schedule as the parties seek to define who controls Subnautica 2’s release.
Unknown Worlds co-founders’ lawyers accuse Krafton of deliberately leaking a memo about Subnautica 2’s early-access launch in May, claiming the move violated a court-ordered judgment and harmed the game, team, and community; Krafton says the message simply celebrated staff efforts and milestone results.
A Delaware court ordered Krafton to restore control of Unknown Worlds to its leadership after Krafton attempted to oust the studio’s executives using a ChatGPT-guided plan to avoid paying an earnout of up to $250 million tied to Subnautica 2; the judge rejected Krafton’s dismissal justification, extended the earnout period, and returned governance to Unknown Worlds’ CEO Ted Gill while the dispute continues.