Krafton Explains Subnautica 2's Delay and Leadership Challenges

Select Language:

Recently, there has been a lot of drama surrounding the game Subnautica 2. Developer Unknown Worlds and publisher Krafton parted ways with co-founders Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland, and Max McGuire. Initially, the reasons were unclear, leading to much speculation online.

Before the game’s official delay to 2026, Bloomberg reported that Krafton postponed the release just months before a $250 million bonus was due to Unknown Worlds based on a 2021 acquisition deal. Although it wasn’t suggested that this was the only reason for the delay, co-founder Charlie Cleveland’s comments that the game was “ready” for Early Access added to the confusion.

Subnautica 2’s Delay And Leadership Struggles Explained By Krafton

Krafton later stated that the reason for the delay was not the bonus payout. They explained in a statement that Gill, Cleveland, and McGuire were let go for “abandoning the responsibilities entrusted to them.”

The plan for Subnautica 2 was to release in Early 2024, but that timeline has now changed. Krafton said that both McGuire and Cleveland could have stayed but chose not to. Cleveland even started working on a personal film project after the game Moonbreaker didn’t do well, despite being asked to focus on Subnautica 2.

Krafton mentioned that the lack of strong leadership has led to confusion and delays in the project. They expressed disappointment over the former leadership’s actions and felt betrayed for not honoring the trust from fans.

Furthermore, Krafton believes that the current version of Subnautica 2 lacks sufficient content, which is likely a key factor in the delay. They reassured everyone that the development team remains the same and affirmed their commitment to fulfilling the promises made to the developers.