Earlier this month, reports emerged that Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, co-founders of Unknown Worlds, the studio behind the upcoming game Subnautica 2, along with former CEO Ted Gill, were reportedly compelled to leave the studio by its parent company, Krafton. A significant point of disagreement between the parties revolved around Subnautica 2`s readiness for an early access launch. Recently, a confidential negative internal assessment of Subnautica 2 was leaked online, and Krafton has since verified the document`s authenticity.
The leaked report, widely shared on the Subnautica 2 Reddit community, criticizes the game`s current development build, as of May 2025, for missing several key features originally intended for an early access release. Notably, the document points out the removal of six hours of content, an entire game mode, two biomes, a leviathan creature, and a vehicle, in addition to a delayed narrative progression. The assessment concluded that Subnautica 2 had fallen short of its development goals set in 2023 and recommended a thorough reassessment of both its release schedule and content roadmap. Consequently, Krafton announced a delay for Subnautica 2, coinciding with the release of a new game trailer.
A Krafton spokesperson, while confirming the legitimacy of the leaked document, commented: “Milestone reviews are conducted regularly in collaboration with Krafton`s creative studios across all projects. These reviews help assess development progress, define clear objectives, and ensure that each project aligns with Krafton`s standards in both creativity and quality. This process is central to Krafton`s commitment to delivering polished, high-quality games at the right time.”
According to a report from Bloomberg, the delay of Subnautica 2 might be connected to a substantial $250 million bonus that Krafton was scheduled to pay Unknown Worlds if specific financial milestones were achieved in 2025. As these targets are unlikely to be met without Subnautica 2`s release, some fans have openly advocated for a boycott of the game. Krafton responded with a strong, uncompromising statement, accusing Unknown Worlds` former leadership team of neglecting their duties regarding the sequel`s development.
Following these events, Cleveland announced his intention to initiate a lawsuit against Krafton, joined by McGuire and Gill. This legal dispute could potentially span several years. Meanwhile, Subnautica 2 is still anticipated to launch on PC and Xbox Series X|S in 2026.