Subnautica 2’s former leadership files lawsuit against Krafton amid controversy

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As a dedicated fan, I find myself immersed in the ongoing saga regarding Subnautica 2. The delay, the departure of its founding studios’ leaders, and the $250 million bonus have been making headlines. Krafton, the game’s publisher who acquired Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds last year, has issued a statement, essentially accusing the recently dismissed leadership team of “abandoning” the project. In retaliation, one of the studio’s co-founders and former leaders has taken to social media, announcing that all three ex-executives are filing a breach of contract lawsuit against Krafton.

Subnautica 2 studio’s former leadership files a breach of contract lawsuit against Krafton

As one of the founding members of Unknown Worlds, I’m proud to stand alongside Charlie Cleveland, Max McGuire, and our former CEO, Ted Gill. Today, we took a significant step by filing a lawsuit against Krafton. We believe that you, the gaming community, deserve the whole truth, so we’re committed to making the details of this lawsuit as transparent as possible – eventually, the facts should become public knowledge. Taking on a behemoth like Krafton won’t be easy, but our passion for justice and the integrity of our cause fuels us forward.

In his statement, Cleveland clarified that the notion he and Max, Ted, intended to keep all the earnout for themselves is completely false. He’s in this business because of his passion for it, not for wealth. Historically, they’ve shared their profits with the team, and when they sold the studio, they did the same. Rest assured, they will continue to honor the earnout/bonus as well. The post was set to prevent replies, but at the time of writing, it has garnered over a thousand likes from fans.

Krafton has released their first statement since the recent controversy started a few days ago. In this statement posted on their website, they explain that out of the potential $250 million in earn-out compensation, approximately 90% was allocated to the three former executives, with the hope that they would show leadership and actively participate in the development of Subnautica 2. However, they regretfully state that these former leaders failed to fulfill the responsibilities entrusted to them.

The original co-founders were repeatedly instructed to prioritize work on Subnautica 2, but they never did. Instead, Max McGuire opted to concentrate on a personal film project. Krafton expresses deep disappointment, stating that the founders failed to uphold the trust bestowed upon them by the fans of Subnautica, which is quite emotional language for a corporation to use and refers to the Subnautica community as “our fans.

As a fervent fan, it’s challenging to discern who’s telling the complete story between the recent declarations from Krafton and Unknown Worlds’ past leaders. Should additional facts surface, as a potential lawsuit might reveal, we may find ourselves in a better position to grasp the intricacies of this situation more clearly.

Essentially, the aim is that the dedicated team working on Subnautica 2 receives the compensation they were promised, as hinted at in Krafton’s statement. They pledge “fair and equitable compensation” for all Unknown Worlds employees who have been instrumental in developing Subnautica 2, emphasizing their intention to fulfill the promised rewards. While this declaration is encouraging, it doesn’t offer detailed information, so we must stay patient and wait for more updates on the matter. In other words, we’ll have to keep a close eye on developments regarding this issue.

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2025-07-11 21:32