After a period of disagreements between the game developers at Unknown Worlds Entertainment (UWE) and publisher Krafton, Subnautica 2 launched and quickly became very popular on Steam, reaching record numbers of players. There was widespread expectation that Krafton would pay UWE a previously promised $250 million, and reports now confirm they have agreed to do so.
Since launching in early access on May 14th, Subnautica 2 has sold 4 million copies, though its release wasn’t guaranteed. In Summer 2025, Krafton fired UWE CEO Ted Gill and other leaders, and put the game on hold. This led to a public legal battle where Krafton allegedly used ChatGPT to try and avoid paying a $250 million agreement, claiming UWE was intentionally harming Subnautica 2. UWE strongly disputed these claims.
A Massive Pay Day for Subnautica 2 Devs
With Subnautica 2 poised for a potentially massive launch, Krafton has apparently agreed to a performance-based payment to the game’s developers (according to IGN and reports from South Korean business sources). Neither Krafton nor UWE has officially confirmed this payment arrangement, and it’s unclear if they will, especially considering recent legal issues. However, the release of Subnautica 2 and reports of a win for the developers coincide with the return of Gill to UWE.
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Results
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It’s no surprise that Subnautica 2 earned $100 million in its first week, making it the fastest-selling game on Steam in 2026. According to the Korea Economic Daily, Krafton’s purchase of UWE in 2021 included an agreement to pay former UWE shareholders $3.12 for every $1 the studio earns above $69.8 million in monthly revenue, up to a total of $250 million. The report also states that this $250 million represents approximately 35% of Krafton’s 2025 operating profit.
Honestly, it’s kinda weird seeing all this stuff going on with Krafton and Unknown Worlds. I’m really excited for Subnautica 2, but it feels like that news got overshadowed by Krafton deciding to go all-in on AI. Their CEO announced back in October 2025 that they were becoming an “AI-first” company, which meant big changes and even some developers being offered buyouts. I’m not sure if that plan is still fully on track, but it’s definitely something to watch. The big thing is, Unknown Worlds doesn’t seem to be on the same page. They’ve made it clear that Subnautica 2 was made without using any of that generative AI stuff – no AI-written stories, no AI-generated art, and no AI helping with the game design. It’s cool to know they kept it old school for this one, and it’s just… a lot to process with everything else happening.
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Results
Most players will likely be watching to see how Subnautica 2 develops. This initial release is just an early version, and the developers plan to add many improvements, like quality-of-life features, better co-op and multiplayer options, and significant new content. The game is already selling well and seems to be gaining a lot of attention from gamers.
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2026-05-28 15:37