The recent shake-up at Unknown Worlds, the developer behind Subnautica and its upcoming sequel, Subnautica 2, has been nothing short of shocking. In a sudden move that came without prior warning, studio owner Krafton ousted three key veterans and executives from the company, including the game’s original creator, and appointed a new CEO. The decision was executed without much explanation, leaving fans and industry peers puzzled. One of the affected founders, Charlie Cleveland, has finally broken his silence.
Via a post on Reddit, Cleveland, who is Subnautica’s creator and one of the executives dismissed by Krafton, shed more light on the situation, and it doesn’t exactly instill confidence in fans waiting to dive back into the franchise.
Trouble Behind the Scenes for Subnautica 2
Cleveland revealed that Subnautica 2 was already in a state that he and the team felt was suitable for Early Access. According to him, the game was ready to be enjoyed by players. However, the final decision on whether the game could launch in Early Access format did not rest with him or the development team, but with Krafton itself.
Expressing his frustration, Cleveland shared his disappointment about being unable to continue working on the company he helped build. He described the situation as painful, especially given the lack of a clear reason for his dismissal.
Cleveland’s comments stand in stark contrast to Krafton’s earlier public stance, which implicitly suggested that Subnautica 2 was not yet in a state deemed fit for public release, even in Early Access form. This contradiction between the developer’s readiness and KRAFTON’s assessment seems to be a central factor behind the removal of the three key executives.
Unknown Worlds is now under the leadership of new CEO, Steve Papoutsis, who was transferred from Striking Distance Studios, the developer behind The Callisto Protocol. It remains uncertain whether this leadership change will affect the planned Early Access release of Subnautica 2, which is still slated for sometime in 2025.
