Subnautica 2 Drama: Did Krafton Try to Ditch the Devs to Avoid a Massive Bonus Payout? Bloody Hell!
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
A juicy lawsuit alleges Krafton tried to weasel out of paying Unknown Worlds a massive bonus for Subnautica 2, leading to the firing of key developers and some potentially shady shenanigans. Looks like someone's swimming in troubled waters!
Right, so the deep-sea sequel Subnautica 2 is looking a bit…choppy. Not because of leviathans (though those are probably involved at some point), but because of a proper dust-up between the game's developer, Unknown Worlds, and their publisher, Krafton. Apparently, there's a lawsuit bubbling to the surface, and the accusations are wilder than a Reaper Leviathan's dental bill.
According to a lawsuit filed by three former heads of Unknown Worlds – Charlie Cleveland (co-founder), Max MacGuire (co-founder), and Ted Gill (CEO) – Krafton engaged in a bunch of allegedly dodgy tactics to delay the game's release until 2026. Why? To avoid paying out a whopping $250 million earnout bonus. That's enough to buy a small island... or, you know, fund a whole bunch of indie games.
One of the most, shall we say *unusual* allegations involves a lunch between Unknown Worlds co-founder Charlie Cleveland and Krafton CEO Kim Chang-han. The lawsuit claims that Kim, via translator, said that paying the earnout would be "disastrous financially and hugely embarrassing" for Krafton. Blimey. Krafton, naturally, claims Kim was misinterpreted. Sounds familiar? Like every time someone says blockchain will save gaming.
The fired execs are claiming they were given the boot to avoid paying the promised bonus. Krafton, on the other hand, reckon the trio were neglecting their duties – Cleveland, for example, was supposedly spending too much time on his movie company. Fair enough, diversification is important, but maybe not at the expense of a potential gaming masterpiece.
What makes this all so interesting (beyond the sheer amount of money involved) is the sheer... audacity, if the allegations are true. The lawsuit claims Krafton went full villain, allegedly:
* Assigning a publishing team to the game led by someone who didn't speak English (awkward!). * Issuing an "internal stop work order" – basically telling everyone to down tools on Subnautica 2. * Cancelling trailers, advertising, and even a PC Gamer cover plan. Ouch. * Halting localisation plans to translate the game into nine languages. That's cutting off a lot of potential players.
In another twist, the lawsuit claims Krafton's *own* US-based team warned the Unknown Worlds team that Krafton were “combing” through agreements looking for a way to fire the key managers. Internal whistleblowers? Now that's spicy. Sounds like a proper spy movie, doesn’t it? I mean, what's next, sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads?
The lawsuit demands the trio be reinstated and paid the earnout they believe they're owed. Krafton, unsurprisingly, are fighting back, stating they made decisions to ensure Subnautica 2 is the best possible game. They reckon releasing it prematurely would disappoint players and damage both the Subnautica and Unknown Worlds brands.
So, who's telling the truth? That's what the courts will have to figure out. What's clear is that the development of Subnautica 2 has been anything but smooth sailing. Will this affect the final product? Only time will tell. But one thing's for sure: this is a gaming industry saga worth watching, with enough twists and turns to rival the deepest, darkest trenches of the ocean floor. I wonder if this could become a movie!
Tags: Subnautica 2, Krafton, Lawsuit, Gaming Industry, Game Development
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun