The ongoing battle between recently dismissed co-founders of Unknown Worlds and publisher Krafton has taken a more serious turn. Charlie Cleveland, co-founder of the studio, has announced on Reddit that they have officially filed a lawsuit against Krafton.
Cleveland’s announcement follows a statement made by Krafton earlier today. In the statement, Krafton accused the previous Subnautica 2 leadership—particularly Cleveland and co-founder Max McGuire—of neglecting their assigned duties related to the game’s development. The company alleged that the Early Access version of Subnautica 2, which was supposed to launch soon, was lacking in content.
Krafton expressed its disappointment in the former leadership’s actions, stating, “We feel a profound sense of betrayal by their failure to honor the trust placed in them by our fans.” The stark tone of this statement is a marked departure from Krafton’s earlier, more measured communications, which had thanked the departing leaders for their contributions.
This escalation indicates a prolonged dispute, with details regarding the lawsuit yet to surface. Cleveland’s response reiterated his belief that Subnautica 2 is ready for its Early Access phase, contradicting Krafton’s claims. “Suing a multi-billion dollar company in a public and potentially drawn-out manner was never something I anticipated. However, we must rectify this situation. This game represents my life’s work, and I could never abandon it or the talented team behind it.”
In addressing the recent changes, Cleveland also touched on the significant $250 million bonus owed to Unknown Worlds contingent upon meeting revenue targets by late 2025. Many speculated that the leadership changes and the game’s delay were tactics by Krafton to avoid this payout. In its statement, Krafton mentioned that remaining employees would receive “fair and equitable compensation.”
“We never intended to claim all of it for ourselves,” he responded regarding the earnings discussion. “Historically, we’ve shared profits with the team and continued to do so when we sold the studio. They’ve earned it for their incredible work in getting this great game into your hands.”
The conflict appears to be unfolding, promising more developments in the near future. Cleveland hints that additional information regarding the lawsuit will be revealed soon.
