Subnautica 2 Early Access Delayed Amid Legal Dispute Over Bonuses
Quick Look
- Krafton CEO Changham Kim allegedly delayed Subnautica 2's early access to avoid a $250 million bonus payout to Unknown Worlds staff, leading to a legal battle.
- The game is now set for May 14 release, with extended bonus windows for employees.
AI-generated summary
The long-awaited underwater survival game Subnautica 2 will be playable as an early access title on May 14.
This sequel was first announced over four years ago, but some serious legal drama seems to have held things up.
The contract that covered Krafton's purchase of Unknown Worlds stipulated that executives and staff would share in a $250 million bonus if they could hit certain revenue targets by 2025.
By delaying the early access of Subnautica 2, however, those revenue targets could not be reached.
According to a pre-trial brief, Krafton CEO Changham Kim allegedly nixed the payout because it would be embarrassing and make him look like a "pushover."
He also reportedly consulted ChatGPT to ask about ways to avoid paying the bonus.
The legal battle extended into March of this year, when a judge ordered Krafton to rehire fired CEO Ted Gill.
This led to the company promising the early access title would be released in May.
The court has also extended the revenue window for Unknown Worlds employees to receive part of that $250 million bonus until September 17, with an option for developers to extend even further to March 15, 2027.
