Publishers Krafton have told workers at Subnautica 2 studio Unknown Worlds they would still get a promised bonus if they ship enough of the game by the end of 2026. In other words, they've been given an extension to hit their targets. The bonus money was in question after the surprise firing of senior staff a couple of weeks ago, and the enforced delay of the survival game by Krafton. After worker concerns and fan outrage, now the corp says "don't worry, we'll pay!" Although it's not the huge $250 million they were originally supposed to.
A battle between three former Subnautica 2 developers and their publishers at Krafton intensified over the weekend, after an internal document appeared online showing how the scope of the survival game has reduced during development. The source of this document remains unknown. In fact, quite a lot of facts about the document remain unknown. Nevertheless, Krafton have since leapt at the chance to confirm its authenticity.
Friday July 11 - Added a new statement from Unknown Worlds co-founder Charlie Cleveland.
Just when you thought the Subnautica 2 and Unknown Worlds saga couldn't get any wilder, it does. Krafton, the parent company of Unknown Worlds that ousted three key leaders last week, has issued a lengthy statement explaining its decision. In this message, Krafton claims that the trio "abandoned the responsibilities entrusted to them." It also says that the studio's two co-founders refused to return to the development roles they held while creating the first Subnautica to help push the upcoming sequel along.
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