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Ousted Subnautica 2 Leadership 'Files Lawsuit' Against Parent Company Krafton as Row Over $250M Bonus Gets Personal

GLOBAL (UNKNOWN WORLDS IS A FULLY REMOTE STUDIO; KRAFTON IS SOUTH KOREAN PUBLISHER), JUL 11 – Former Unknown Worlds executives sue Krafton over Subnautica 2 delay amid dispute involving a $250 million bonus tied to financial milestones, with both sides bl

  • In early July 2025, Krafton removed key Unknown Worlds executives, including Subnautica 2's director Charlie Cleveland, studio co-founder Max McGuire, and the company's CEO Ted Gill, amid a significant internal conflict.
  • The dismissals followed disagreements over the delay of Subnautica 2 to 2026 and a $250 million bonus tied to revenue targets expected by the end of 2025.
  • Krafton claimed the leadership failed to deliver a launch-ready game and accused them of abandoning responsibilities, while Cleveland disputed these claims and confirmed legal action.
  • Cleveland stated, "you can be damned sure we'll continue with the earnout/bonus as well," calling allegations of financial misconduct "totally untrue" and describing the time as "explosive and surreal."
  • The lawsuit and leadership changes have unsettled the Subnautica community and may affect the game's release, which remains slated for early access in 2026 amid ongoing uncertainty.
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GamesIndustry.biz broke the news in on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
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