In not-so-surprising news, Krafton, the South Korean publisher best known for PUBG and inZOI, is under fire following the potential delay of Subnautica 2. Without clear justification, the company abruptly terminated three top executives at Unknown Worlds, the studio behind the franchise, just before the anticipated launch window. Reports now suggest this move may have been financially motivated.
Krafton’s Reasons for Delaying Subnautica 2
Earlier this week, Krafton and Unknown Worlds officially confirmed that Subnautica 2’s Early Access release has been postponed to 2026. In a blog post, the companies cited the need for additional development time, emphasising the importance of refining the game based on feedback gathered from internal playtesting sessions. However, a deeper investigation has cast doubt on the integrity of this explanation.
According to Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier, the delay appears to contradict the former leadership’s original release timeline, which aimed for a 2025 launch. Schreier’s sources claim the executives had plans firmly in place to meet that goal, aligning with a financial clause tied to the studio’s acquisition by Krafton.
That clause reportedly entitled Unknown Worlds to a substantial performance-based bonus of approximately USD 250 million, contingent upon meeting specific revenue targets by the end of 2025. These targets were considered achievable with the release of Subnautica 2 this year. By pushing the game into 2026, Krafton effectively eliminates any possibility of reaching that revenue benchmark.
The allegations now suggest that the delay may be a deliberate manoeuvre by Krafton to avoid paying out the bonus, a move described by some industry insiders as manipulative and underhanded. The former Unknown Worlds leadership had intended to distribute the bonus among the studio’s 100 employees, with individual payouts ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
This development has sparked widespread criticism and raised ethical concerns about corporate behaviour in the gaming industry. While Krafton maintains that the delay is purely for quality assurance, the timing and context suggest a more troubling motive behind the scenes.
