Krafton, the publisher of the highly anticipated game Subnautica 2, is facing a lawsuit alleging that the company deliberately sabotaged the game’s development and release schedule.the lawsuit, filed by the founders of Unknown Worlds, the studio behind Subnautica, claims that Krafton’s actions were intended to avoid a ample payout of $250 million.
According to the legal documents, the acquisition deal in 2021 stipulated that Unknown Worlds’ founders would retain control over the company and the release of Subnautica 2. Krafton was also prohibited from hindering the game’s development or dismissing the founders without just cause.
however, the lawsuit asserts that Krafton violated these terms by launching a campaign to undermine the game’s progress. this included allegedly withdrawing crucial marketing and localization support. One report from a Krafton employee indicated that headquarters instructed all teams to cease creative tasks related to the game.
The lawsuit contends that these obstructive tactics were a deliberate attempt to delay Subnautica 2 and thus circumvent the $250 million payment. During a meeting, Krafton CEO Changhan Kim reportedly expressed concerns to Charlie cleveland, one of Unknown Worlds’ founders, stating that releasing the game on its planned timeline coudl be “disastrous financially and hugely embarrassing for Krafton.” Krafton has declined to comment on these allegations.
Following initial reports about the alleged reasons for the delay, Bloomberg reported that Krafton had agreed to extend the earnout period to accommodate Subnautica 2‘s later release. Previously, Krafton had denied any motive for the delay other than to refine the game.
Earlier this week, internal documents concerning Subnautica 2‘s development were leaked on Reddit. These documents, reportedly captured from a computer screen, detailed the content originally planned for the game’s early access launch and highlighted changes or removals made to meet the release date. Krafton has as acknowledged the authenticity of these documents, stating that “transparent communication is necessary” and confirming the document’s veracity, possibly to support its claim that Subnautica 2 was not ready for its early access debut.
