The delay of Subnautica 2 has been the primary driver of the dispute between former Unknown Worlds senior leadership Charlie Cleveland, Ted Gill, and Max McGuire, and mega-publisher Krafton, which purchased the studio back in 2021.

Subnautica 2 maker Unknown Worlds was set for a massive $250 million payout this year if it hit certain revenue targets, Bloomberg reported yesterday. But a fresh delay of one of the most wish-listed games on Steam makes that almost impossible.

Subnautica 2's increasingly messy saga has taken another dramatic turn. Developer Unknown Worlds' ousted leaders have announced legal action against Krafton after the publisher shared a statement accusing the former employees of 'abandoning' the underwater survival sequel.

The publisher fired back at reporting that suggested it delayed Subnautica 2 to avoid paying out employee bonuses.

Unknown Worlds co-founder Charlie Cleveland claims he is suing parent company Krafton amid recent developments at the studio.

Subnautica 2's former leadership team has filed a lawsuit against Krafton. The news comes as the South Korean publisher of Subnautica 2 recently issued a statement against the plaintiffs, accusing game director Charlie Cleveland and fellow Unknown Worlds co-founder Max McGuire of nonfeasance.