Subnautica 2 Publisher Krafton Blames Leads for Delay in Statement, Saying They 'Abandoned Responsibilities'

The ongoing play astir Subnautica 2's hold and its team's upheaval continues, with the institution Krafton issuing a lengthy nationalist connection contiguous accusing the studio's leaders of having "abandoned responsibilities" connected the game, alleging they focused connected idiosyncratic projects alternatively than fulfilling their contracted roles and suggesting the game's hold is their fault.

In the published connection sent to press, which we've reprinted successful afloat below, Krafton claims it made "multiple requests" to Unknown Worlds founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire to resume their responsibilities arsenic crippled manager and method manager respectively, but claims they some declined. "In particular, pursuing the nonaccomplishment of Moonbreaker, KRAFTON asked Charlie to give himself to the improvement of Subnautica 2. However, alternatively of participating successful the crippled development, helium chose to absorption connected a idiosyncratic movie project," the connection reads. "KRAFTON believes that the lack of halfway enactment has resulted successful repeated disorder successful absorption and important delays successful the wide task schedule."

Krafton besides makes notation to a reported $250 cardinal bonus that was promised to the improvement team, which would person paid retired conscionable a fewer months from present if it deed gross targets. Per Krafton, 90% of this bonus was intended to spell straight to Cleveland, McGuire, and erstwhile CEO Ted Gill anterior to their removal from the project.

The connection concludes with Krafton promising "fair and equitable compensation for each remaining Unknown Worlds employees...and we reaffirm our committedness to supply the rewards they were promised."

The afloat contented of the connection is arsenic follows:

To Our 12 Million Fellow Subnauts,— Inevitable Leadership Change Driven by Project Abandonment–Despite Holding 90% of Earnout for ThemselvesFirst and foremost, we sincerely convey you for your continued support, passion, and unwavering dedication to Subnautica. We privation to supply clarity connected the caller enactment changes astatine Unknown Worlds, a originative workplace nether KRAFTON.Background of Leadership ChangeKRAFTON profoundly values Subnautica’s unsocial creativity and immersive world-building. To supply fans with adjacent amended gaming experiences, we acquired Unknown Worlds, afloat committed to supporting Subnautica’s aboriginal success. We collaborated intimately with the studio’s leadership, who were cardinal to the instauration of the archetypal Subnautica, to foster the optimal situation for a palmy Subnautica 2.Specifically, successful summation to the archetypal $500 cardinal acquisition price, we allocated astir 90% of the up to $250 cardinal earn-out compensation to the 3 erstwhile executives, with the anticipation that they would show enactment and progressive engagement successful the improvement of Subnautica 2.However, regrettably, the erstwhile enactment abandoned the responsibilities entrusted to them. Subnautica 2 was primitively planned for an Early Access motorboat successful aboriginal 2024, but the timeline has since been importantly delayed. KRAFTON made aggregate requests to Charlie and Max to resume their roles arsenic Game Director and Technical Director, respectively, but some declined to bash so. In particular, pursuing the nonaccomplishment of Moonbreaker, KRAFTON asked Charlie to give himself to the improvement of Subnautica 2. However, alternatively of participating successful the crippled development, helium chose to absorption connected a idiosyncratic movie project.KRAFTON believes that the lack of halfway enactment has resulted successful repeated disorder successful absorption and important delays successful the wide task schedule.The existent Early Access mentation besides falls abbreviated successful presumption of contented volume.We are profoundly disappointed by the erstwhile leadership’s conduct, and supra all, we consciousness a profound consciousness of betrayal by their nonaccomplishment to grant the spot placed successful them by our fans.KRAFTON’s Full Support for the Dedicated Development TeamTo uphold our committedness to supply you with the champion imaginable gaming experience, we made the hard yet indispensable determination to alteration the enforcement leadership. Subnautica 2 has been and continues to beryllium actively developed by a dedicated halfway squad who stock genuine passion, accountability, and committedness to the game. We profoundly respect their expertise and creativity and volition proceed to supply afloat and unwavering support, enabling them to absorption solely connected delivering the exceptional crippled you deserve.KRAFTON’s Commitment to its Promises successful Rewarding EmployeesAdditionally, KRAFTON has committed to just and equitable compensation for each remaining Unknown Worlds employees who person continuously and tirelessly contributed to Subnautica 2’s development. We judge that the dedication and effort of this squad are astatine the precise bosom of Subnautica’s ongoing evolution, and we reaffirm our committedness to supply the rewards they were promised.Fans volition ever stay astatine the halfway of each determination we marque astatine KRAFTON. Moving forward, we committedness transparent connection and continued efforts to sustainably make and grow the beloved Subnautica universe.Honoring your spot and expectations is simply a halfway tenet astatine KRAFTON. We are committed to repaying your patience with an adjacent much refined and exceptional gaming experience.

Subnautica 2's full enactment squad was replaced past week with erstwhile Striking Distance CEO Steve Papoutsis by proprietor Krafton, and the crippled was delayed to 2026. The replacement came arsenic a "shock" to Cleveland, who claimed successful a Reddit station soon aft his removal that Subnautica 2 was "ready for aboriginal release", that the determination was "in Krafton's hands," and saying the determination to region him and the different leaders "stings."

This was followed by a Bloomberg study that alleged this determination was made conscionable earlier the $250 cardinal bonus was scheduled to beryllium paid retired to the team, with unit expecting bonuses ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to 7 figures that they were present acrophobic they would not see. In a connection to IGN astatine the time, Krafton claimed the hold was a effect to playtester feedback, and had thing to bash with "any contractual oregon fiscal considerations." In effect to the removal of the 3 members of enactment and concerns astir the denial of promised bonuses to staff, fans person begun organizing boycotts of the crippled connected societal media.

Rebekah Valentine is simply a elder newsman for IGN. You tin find her posting connected BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a communicative tip? Send it to [email protected].