Subnautica 2 Removes Krafton as Publisher After Legal Battle

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It appears Unknown Worlds Entertainment will publish Subnautica 2 themselves. Krafton’s name has been removed from the game’s pages on Steam and the Epic Games Store. While Krafton still owns Unknown Worlds, this change likely stems from the recent legal dispute between the two companies.

The recent news follows a lawsuit brought by former Unknown Worlds leaders, including Max McGuire and Ted Gill, who were fired by Krafton. As a result, the early access release of Subnautica 2 has been postponed. Court proceedings revealed that Krafton allegedly used ChatGPT to explore ways to avoid paying a $250 million bonus to the Subnautica 2 team if they met their release targets. Ultimately, a judge sided with Unknown Worlds and reversed the firings of Gill and his team.

Unknown Worlds May Self-Publish Subnautica 2 Moving Forward

Okay, so even though Krafton lost that legal battle, it looks like things are still shifting around with Subnautica 2. I noticed on both the Epic Games Store and Steam that Krafton’s name has been removed as the publisher. Now it just lists Unknown Worlds as both the developer and publisher. It’s weird because Krafton still owns Unknown Worlds, so I’m not sure why they made that change, or when. The game is still supposedly coming to early access sometime in 2026, but that’s a little confusing. Steve Papoutsis, who’s leading the development now, previously said it would be in May 2026. So, we’ll have to see if that May date holds up, or if there are more surprises to come!

The court ruled that Krafton must not only reinstate Ted Gill as CEO of Unknown Worlds, but also pay out $250 million in bonuses to the development team. While Krafton doesn’t agree with the decision, they plan to continue collaborating with Unknown Worlds. With Gill taking over from Papoutsis, it remains to be seen how the development of Subnautica 2 will change and what level of involvement Krafton will have in the future.

Subnautica 2 Still Faces Murky Waters

When fans noticed that Subnautica 2 was no longer listed as being published by Krafton on Steam, many started adding the game to their wishlists as a show of support for Unknown Worlds, the game’s developer, following their legal dispute with Krafton. This move was prompted by Krafton’s previous promotion of itself as a company focused on artificial intelligence, especially considering they own Unknown Worlds and other game studios, which left many gamers feeling disappointed.

Subnautica 2 promises to be an incredible adventure, offering players diverse environments and creatures to explore. However, Krafton, the publisher, has been removed from the game’s pages on Steam and the Epic Games Store, which could indicate a change in their role with the game.

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2026-04-14 22:09