Krafton has responded to the lawsuit initiated by the former leadership of Subnautica 2, seeking to defend itself against serious allegations. This controversy has intensified in recent weeks concerning Subnautica 2, a project that has been in the works since 2022 and was initially planned for early access release in 2025.

On July 2, Krafton made the controversial decision to terminate the employment of CEO Tedd Gill along with co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, stating it would be effective immediately. Just a week later, they announced a delay in the game’s release until 2026, which led to claims that the publisher was trying to circumvent a $250 million earn-out payment to the developers. The former Unknown Worlds executives have claimed in their lawsuit that Krafton intentionally delayed and undermined the game’s development, acting to avoid paying the owed bonuses. Meanwhile, Krafton revealed that a recent leak concerning milestones not being met in development was indeed accurate.

Krafton has now clarified its position on these allegations, suggesting that the decisions taken were made to ensure Subnautica 2 would be released with adequate quality to meet fan expectations, indicating that launching the game prematurely could have harmed both the game’s and Unknown Worlds’ reputations. Krafton’s statement included, “While we are disappointed that Charlie, Max, and Ted have filed a lawsuit for a significant payout, we look forward to defending ourselves in court.” They also refuted claims of firing the co-founders in order to evade the payment.

As the legal proceedings progress, it remains uncertain how the case will unfold, which may take considerable time before achieving a resolution. While many fans have taken stances in the ongoing controversy, detailed insights regarding the nuances of the case are still unfolding. There is hope that Subnautica 2 will navigate through these challenges and emerge polished by its release in 2026.