Overview

• Krafton has postponed Subnautica 2’s early-access launch into 2026 under new CEO Steve Papoutsis, citing the need for additional development time to deliver a polished experience.
• The rescheduling likely nullifies a $250 million earn-out that depended on the studio meeting specific revenue goals by the end of 2025.
• Ousted co-founders Charlie Cleveland, Max McGuire and former CEO Ted Gill filed a lawsuit on July 11, alleging Krafton’s delay was driven by financial motives and wrongful removal.
• A segment of the Subnautica fan community is calling for a boycott and urging removal of the game from Steam wishlists in protest of the forced leadership changes and postponement.
• Krafton issued a public statement blaming the former leadership for “abandoning the responsibilities entrusted to them” and maintaining that financial considerations did not influence the delay.