Overview
- The Delaware Chancery Court trial began November 17, with a pre‑trial brief alleging Krafton formed a secret “Project X” to negotiate down the earnout or seize control of Unknown Worlds.
- Plaintiffs cite Slack messages in which CEO CH Kim and executive Richard Yoon discuss that “it might be easier to take over” the studio than agree to the payout terms.
- The filing says Kim consulted ChatGPT on ways to avoid the earnout and that Krafton failed to produce the chatbot history, while Krafton says no such records have been found and accuses plaintiffs of deleting their own ChatGPT data.
- Krafton rejects claims of earnout avoidance, with Kim testifying that the founders stopped working on Subnautica 2, refused to return when asked, and that the delay was for product readiness.
- Subnautica 2’s early‑access release is now planned for 2026, and the ousted founders seek reinstatement along with enforcement of the earnout remedies.