Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
PC Gamer
PC Gamer
Fraser Brown

Subnautica 2 is responsible for Krafton's 'record second quarter performance' despite the messy legal battle and accusations of sabotage

The Krafton logo during the Gamescom video games trade fair at the Trade Fair Center in Cologne on August 20, 2025; a character sitting in a chair with fingers steepled in Subnautica 2.

Subnautica 2 might be a chill survival game, but the journey to May's early access launch was filled with drama, legal battles and accusations of sabotage. Just recalling it all is giving me a massive headache, which I'm now going to give to you.

In 2025, Krafton ousted Unknown World's leadership and delayed Subnautica 2's early access launch. The publisher accused the studio heads of abandoning the game, who then fired back and accused Krafton of delaying Subnautica 2 so it wouldn't have to pay a promised $250 million earnout—a strategy Krafton's CEO came up with thanks to ChatGPT.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.