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There’s been ongoing legal drama surrounding the upcoming release ofSubnautica 2, with former members of development studio Unknown Worlds filing a lawsuit against publisher Krafton. The lawsuit accuses Krafton of postponingSubnautica 2’srelease to avoid giving recently fired execs a $250 million payout.
Krafton has now issued a response(viaGameSpot), claiming that the Unknown Worlds co-founders, Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, and ex-CEO, Ted Gill, were trying to rush the release and production of Subnautica 2 when it wasn’t ready, while taking a hands-off approach that would result in a lower quality game.
Krafton’s argument paints a very different picture ofSubnautica 2’s development process than the co-founders and ex-CEO suggest in their filing, and it could make for a messy legal battle going forward. However, as of this writing,Subnautica 2is still set to release in Early Access in 2026.
Subnautica 2 Publisher Responds To Unknown Worlds Lawsuit
Krafton Blames Ex-Execs For Rushing The Project
The original Unknown Worlds lawsuit claims that Krafton was trying to avoid paying thefounders and CEOwhat they were owed for deliveringSubnautica 2on time.Krafton’s response flips the script, saying that they were forced todelay the release to 2026because the product wasn’t ready yet, and that the former team was trying to rush it out the door to claim their $250 million payday.
At the moment,it’s essentially Krafton’s word versus that of Unknown Worlds, as both arguments rely on details of the internal studio environment andSubnautica 2’s development status that weren’t available to the public. Without some convincing evidence that the game wasn’t ready to publish, it’s difficult to judge the accuracy of Krafton’s response on a surface level.
Subnautica 2 Is Still Expected To Hit Early Access In 2026
But Will Anyone Be Playing?
Subnautica 2is still officially set to hit early access in 2026, but it’s not clear if this legal drama has left a bad taste in most fans' mouths. When the issue first arose, players called for a boycott of the game, requesting that peopleremove it from their wishlistsand speaking out against Krafton.
Regardless, theSubnauticacommunity isn’t happy about how this is all panning out, and it’s a shame that fans of the first game can’t just focus on enjoying the sequel. With so much drama surroundingSubnautica 2, the game’s potential for success remains unclear.
The first test will be when Early Access finally comes around in 2026, which could also offer some insight into the state of the game’s development. We’ll ultimately have to wait and see if players will still be interested inSubnautica 2after all the dust settles around the lawsuit.
UPDATE: 2025-08-15 16:17 EST BY CHRIS CARTER
Krafton has provided ScreenRant with the following statement:
“We believe the facts speak for themselves. This answer reflects our commitment to protecting both the Subnautica IP and the global community that has supported it for years.”
