Subnautica 2 Drowns Legal Drama by Selling Over 2 Million Copies in One Day

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Since Unknown Worlds Entertainment fully released the first Subnautica in 2018, players who enjoyed the underwater survival experience have been eagerly awaiting a true follow-up from the San Francisco-based studio.

Though the smaller game Subnautica: Below Zero offered some of what fans wanted from the Subnautica world, the announcement of Subnautica 2 in 2022 really excited them. This excitement grew as more players discovered the original game in 2021 when it became available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

After more than four years of development and some internal legal issues involving the game’s publisher, Krafton, and the founders of Unknown Worlds, Subnautica 2 is now available as an early access title on PC and Xbox Series X|S, and it’s already selling very well.

Within just one hour of its release, Subnautica 2 sold over a million copies. By the end of its first day, sales had more than doubled, exceeding 2 million copies.

The Massive Launch and Future of Subnautica 2

So, the original Subnautica did really well – over 18.5 million copies sold, which is amazing! That meant there was a lot riding on Subnautica 2, both from us fans and the people making the game. Plus, they’re adding four-player co-op, which is a huge step, so everyone’s hoping it lives up to the hype.

The game faced significant legal issues throughout 2025 and early 2026, just before the initial release of Subnautica 2. These problems began when Krafton fired the CEO of Unknown Worlds, Ted Gill, along with co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, in the middle of 2025.

The delay of Subnautica 2 to 2026 wasn’t just a simple setback. It was later revealed that Krafton used ChatGPT as part of a strategy to prevent the game’s early release and to avoid paying a $250 million bonus to the Unknown Worlds team if they hit specific revenue goals by the end of 2025.


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Cleveland, Gill, and McGuire sued Krafton after being fired, arguing it broke their agreement. A judge agreed, finding Krafton had violated the terms of their contract by dismissing them without a valid reason and taking over Unknown Worlds. The judge also extended the deadline for the developers to receive a $250 million bonus, giving them until at least September 2026.

Considering how well Subnautica 2 is already selling, Unknown Worlds is on track to receive a $250 million bonus this year. They recently shared a plan detailing upcoming content and updates for the game.

The next update for Subnautica 2, version 1.1, is coming soon in early access. It will include several improvements to make the game easier and more enjoyable, such as better biomods, encounters with the blight, how vehicles dock and are built, and more. Players can also look forward to a new sprinting ability, a place to store extra items, and the ability to equip more passive biomods.

Considering how well Subnautica 2 is already selling, it’s probable that Unknown Worlds will reach that $250 million earnings goal this year.

The next update for Subnautica 2, version 1.2, will focus on letting players team up and play together. It will include features like voice chat, emotes, and the ability to trade items and revive each other. The update will also improve the game’s interface, building tools, and how you manage recipes.

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We’ll probably see those two updates released later this year, and Unknown Worlds is already working on even more expansions for the game, including plans for future updates that will add:

  • New Biomes
  • New Creatures
  • New Resources
  • New Tools
  • A New Vehicle
  • A New Chapter to the Story

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2026-05-15 21:39