Lawsuit from Unknown Worlds Founders Alleges Krafton Sabotaged Subnautica 2
The co-founders of Unknown Worlds have initiated legal action against Krafton, accusing them of intentionally delaying Subnautica 2's launch to avoid a substantial payout.
Following accusations from Krafton regarding the prior management of Unknown Worlds abandoning Subnautica 2, the studio’s founders have retaliated with a lawsuit. They claim Krafton engaged in a sabotage campaign to delay the game and circumvent a $250 million payout owed to them.
Subnautica 2 gained significant anticipation with approximately 2.5 million wishlists on Steam, indicating strong potential. The lawsuit argues that Krafton feared a successful launch would trigger financial obligations to the studio’s former leaders and staff. Allegedly, Krafton’s CEO, Changhan Kim, asserted that an early access release could lead to catastrophic outcomes for the company.
The situation escalated when Krafton took control of Unknown Worlds’ online presence, making unfavorable statements regarding the previous leaders without their consent—an action the lawsuit describes as further intimidation. In June, Krafton reportedly pressured the founders into accepting a lowered payout, and when they refused, the publisher exercised operational control over the studio.
