The most wishlisted game on Steam just became the center of gaming’s latest corporate drama. Subnautica 2, which was supposed to launch in early access later this year, has been pushed to 2026 following a shocking leadership purge at developer Unknown Worlds. The kicker? The studio’s founders were allegedly fired just months before they were due to receive a massive $250 million bonus.
If you thought the ocean depths of Planet 4546B were treacherous, they’ve got nothing on the corporate waters at publisher Krafton.
The $250 Million Question
Here’s where things get spicy. When Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds back in 2021, they included a $250 million bonus in the deal, payable if the studio hit specific revenue targets by the end of 2025. According to Bloomberg’s sources, the leadership team planned to share this windfall with the studio’s roughly 100 employees – we’re talking hundreds of thousands or even millions per person.
Then, last week, Krafton unexpectedly showed the door to Unknown Worlds’ entire leadership team: CEO Ted Gill and co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire. Just like that, the people who built Subnautica from the ground up were out.
The timing? Suspicious doesn’t even begin to cover it.
“Ready for Early Access” Claims Fired Founder
Here’s where the plot thickens like thermal gel. Charlie Cleveland, one of the ousted founders, took to X (formerly Twitter) with some explosive claims. According to him, Subnautica 2 is actually “ready for early access release.” He wrote that “while we thought this was going to be our decision to make, at least for now, that decision is in Krafton’s hands.”
Translation: The game could launch now, but the new bosses won’t let it.
Krafton’s official line? They need more time to “polish” based on playtest feedback. The company claims players found “some areas where we needed to improve before launching the first version of Subnautica 2 to the world.” They’re promising more biomes, more tools, more vehicle upgrades, and an expanded story.
But Reddit isn’t buying it.
Community in Full Meltdown Mode
The Subnautica subreddit has transformed into a digital riot. One highly upvoted post simply reads: “Krafton just killed my most anticipated game.” Another user calculated that delaying the game conveniently pushes it past the bonus deadline, calling it “the most obvious corporate greed move I’ve ever seen.”
The sentiment across gaming forums is overwhelmingly negative toward Krafton. Players are sharing stories about how Subnautica helped them through tough times, how they’ve been counting down the days to the sequel, and how this corporate maneuvering has soured them on the whole thing.
“I’ve wishlisted this game for over a year,” wrote one Reddit user. “Now I’m considering removing it. I don’t want to support a company that treats developers like this.”
Steam forums are equally brutal, with many calling for boycotts and expressing concern that the game will be fundamentally different without its original creators.
The Lawsuit Bomb
As if the situation wasn’t messy enough, the fired leadership has confirmed they’re lawyering up. In a statement, they called the situation “explosive and surreal” and made it clear they’re not going down without a fight.
This adds another layer of uncertainty to Subnautica 2’s future. Even if the game eventually releases, will it be the same vision the original creators had? Can a development team create something special when their leaders were unceremoniously booted for what appears to be financial reasons?
Krafton’s Damage Control
The publisher is in full damage control mode. They’ve installed Steve Papoutsis (formerly of Dead Space fame) as the new CEO and insist the delay has nothing to do with money. According to their statement, it was “based solely on our commitment to quality and to delivering the best possible experience for players.”
They claim the decision to delay was already being discussed before the leadership changes. If you believe that, I’ve got some underwater real estate on 4546B to sell you.
In a town hall with employees, Papoutsis said he wasn’t familiar with the acquisition deal’s specifics but insisted the delay wasn’t made “specifically to impact any earnout.” The carefully worded denials aren’t exactly inspiring confidence.
The Bottom Line
This whole situation stinks worse than a dead Peeper. Subnautica 2 might still turn out to be an excellent game when (if?) it releases in 2026, but the magic feels tainted now. The people who understood what made the first game special – that perfect blend of wonder, terror, and discovery – have been shown the door for what looks suspiciously like financial shenanigans.
For players, this is yet another reminder that the games industry often cares more about quarterly earnings than creative vision. The most wishlisted game on Steam has become a cautionary tale about what happens when corporate interests collide with artistic integrity.
Should you keep Subnautica 2 on your wishlist? That’s a personal choice. But one thing’s certain: diving into those alien waters won’t feel quite the same knowing the people who designed them got pushed off the boat before reaching shore.
The ocean remains full of wonders and terrors. Turns out the real monsters were in the boardroom all along.
Sources:
- Bloomberg: Krafton Delays Subnautica 2 Game Ahead of $250 Million Payout
- PC Gamer: Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton confirms 2026 delay
- Engadget: Subnautica 2’s early access release delayed to 2026
