Bloody Hell, Mate! Subnautica 2's Ousted Founders Just Pulled a Jedi Mind Trick on Krafton (and a Judge)
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
In a wild turn of events, a Delaware court has ordered *Subnautica 2* founders, fired last year by publisher Krafton, to be reinstated, ruling that Krafton "wrongfully usurped control" of their studio—a saga made even stranger by Krafton's CEO admitting to asking ChatGPT for advice on how to avoid paying bonuses.
Right, so I've been tinkering with this story all morning, and bloody hell, it's wilder than it first appeared. You know that feeling when you try to cast a simple illusion spell, and it accidentally opens a portal to a dimension filled with corporate lawyers and ChatGPT queries? That's pretty much what's been happening with the folks behind *Subnautica 2* and their publisher, Krafton.
Now, before we dive deeper into this whirlpool of corporate shenanigans, a massive shout-out to Julian Benson at Rock Paper Shotgun for first bringing this wild ride to our attention in his piece: "Judge orders Subnautica 2 bosses be handed back control of company after Krafton found guilty of 'wrongfully usurping control'". What a title, eh? Sets the stage for some proper drama.
Less than a year ago, the gaming world got a bit of a shock when Krafton, the publishing giant, unceremoniously fired the co-founders of Unknown Worlds, the brilliant minds crafting *Subnautica 2*. We're talking CEO Ted Gill, co-founder Charlie Cleveland, and technical director Max McGuire. Poof! Gone. Krafton’s initial explanation was... well, let's just say it was about as clear as trying to read ancient runes through a fish tank. They basically said 'nothing has changed' with *Subnautica 2*'s plans, which, let's be fair, usually means *everything* has changed, doesn't it?
Fast forward to now, and a Delaware court has just dropped a ruling that's got developers everywhere cheering (or at least gently nodding with approval). A judge has ordered that these three executives be reinstated. Not just 'let them come back if they feel like it,' but a full-on, 'you guys are back in charge' kind of order. The judge ruled squarely in favour of the ousted founders, declaring that Krafton was guilty of "wrongfully usurping control" of Unknown Worlds. Talk about a magic spell backfiring spectacularly!
According to Kotaku's reporting on the court's decision, Vice Chancellor Lori W. Will didn't mince words. She wrote that "Judgment is entered in favor of Fortis on its Phase One claims. Krafton breached the EPA [Employment Protection Act] by terminating the Key Employees without valid Cause and by improperly seizing operational control of Unknown Worlds." The ruling went further, declaring Krafton's decision to fire Gill, Cleveland, and McGuire "ineffective to the extent it infringes on Gill’s operational control right." Even better? Authority over *Subnautica 2*'s early access launch and access to Steam are to be restored. That's a huge win for creative control, mate.
Of course, Krafton, bless 'em, issued a statement to Bloomberg, saying they "respectfully disagree with today’s ruling" but are "evaluating" their options. Classic corporate speak for "we're a bit miffed and trying to figure out how to spin this." They also mentioned further litigation over damages is still pending, because why have one legal battle when you can have two, eh?
So, what actually happened? Why did Krafton try to pull this stunt? It all boils down to a classic tale of big money and even bigger ambitions. When Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds, there was a deal: if *Subnautica 2* shipped by a certain date, the leadership would be in line for a hefty $250 million bonus. *Two hundred and fifty million quid!* That's enough to build a decent wizard's tower, isn't it?
Suddenly, the reason for the firings becomes a bit clearer, doesn't it? Krafton accused the fired devs of abandoning their duties. Gill and the others weren't having any of that, immediately filing their lawsuit. Then, Krafton, in what I can only describe as a masterclass in 'how not to win friends and influence people,' slashed the bonus offered to the *remaining* staff. By August, Krafton had issued a countersuit, claiming the fired developers had "resorted to litigation to demand a payday they haven't earned." Sound familiar? It's the old 'greedy developers' narrative, usually trotted out when a publisher is caught with their digital hand in the cookie jar.
But here's where it gets truly wild, like finding out your powerful magical artefact runs on AA batteries. In November, as the court case loomed, it came out that Krafton's CEO, Kim Chang-han, actually *asked ChatGPT how to avoid paying the ousted leadership their bonus*. Mate, you can't make this stuff up! He then *admitted to it* in a pre-trial briefing. It's like trying to brew a potent spell using a child's toy wand – bound to go wrong and leave you looking a bit silly.
In her decision, the judge thoroughly debunked Krafton's claims. On the accusation that Cleveland and McGuire had abandoned their duties to work on other projects, she stated that "Cleveland and McGuire had taken on limited roles, but that was long known to and accepted by Krafton." And as for the charge that the fired devs downloaded and shared private company information? The judge said "the former employees were acting to protect the studio’s work product amid Krafton’s takeover attempt. They kept the data confidential and promptly returned it." See? Not nefarious at all, just good old digital self-preservation, like a wizard guarding their spellbook from an invading goblin horde.
So, what does this all mean for us, the actual players? For us lot just wanting to dive back into the alien ocean, this whole saga has been a giant question mark hanging over *Subnautica 2*. Does this mean the original vision is truly back on track? Or will it just add more delays to the early access launch that was apparently ready *last year*? It's unclear whether the fired developers will actually walk back into their old roles, or what this means for the release timeline. But what it *does* make crystal clear is the importance of protecting creative integrity and studio autonomy from corporate overreach. And perhaps, a gentle reminder to our corporate overlords: maybe don't ask an AI to help you stiff your employees. It rarely ends well.
This whole affair is a fascinating, if chaotic, reminder that even in the world of big-budget gaming, human stories, and surprisingly human errors (like consulting ChatGPT for legal advice), still run deep. Let's hope the *Subnautica 2* team can finally get back to making us pee our pants with underwater terror, eh?
Tags: Subnautica, Game Development, Legal Battle, Krafton, Unknown Worlds
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun