Overview

• Krafton told Kotaku it is refining Subnautica 2’s development plans and indicated that some schedule adjustments could push early access into 2026.
• Steve Papoutsis, former CEO of Striking Distance Studios, has been installed as Unknown Worlds’ new CEO and introduced clearer milestone-based oversight and quality controls.
• A delay risks derailing a $250 million earn-out bonus that the studio would earn by hitting revenue targets before the end of 2025.
• Original director Charlie Cleveland and co-founders Ted Gill and Max McGuire departed in early July, though Unknown Worlds insists the game’s single-player focus and no-loot-box model remain intact.
• Cleveland has publicly maintained that Subnautica 2 is ready for early access, and the sequel remains one of Steam’s most wish-listed titles.