Gaming giant Krafton has pushed back the release of Subnautica 2 until 2026, sparking major controversy behind the scenes. Bloomberg broke the news that developers at Unknown Worlds believe the delay stems from money troubles rather than game quality issues. The studio faces a massive $250 million bonus payment if they hit certain revenue targets by 2025. Krafton fired the three founders of Unknown Worlds earlier this month, adding fuel to the fire. Many team members think the delay conveniently helps Krafton avoid paying the huge bonus.
Unknown Worlds released a statement claiming the delay came from recent playtest feedback. The developers said they needed more time to polish the game before launching it in early access. However, the fired founders publicly disagreed and insisted the underwater adventure game was ready for release. An internal meeting revealed that new studio head Steve Papoutsis told staff that Krafton wanted more content before launch. The original Subnautica sold over 6 million copies worldwide.
Krafton strongly denies that money influenced their decision to delay the highly anticipated sequel. The publisher claims discussions about postponing the game happened before they removed the founders from their positions. Gaming industry experts remain skeptical about the real reasons behind the delay. The revenue targets that would trigger the bonus payment appear increasingly difficult to reach with the 2026 release date.
Unknown Worlds released a statement claiming the delay came from recent playtest feedback. The developers said they needed more time to polish the game before launching it in early access. However, the fired founders publicly disagreed and insisted the underwater adventure game was ready for release. An internal meeting revealed that new studio head Steve Papoutsis told staff that Krafton wanted more content before launch. The original Subnautica sold over 6 million copies worldwide.
Krafton strongly denies that money influenced their decision to delay the highly anticipated sequel. The publisher claims discussions about postponing the game happened before they removed the founders from their positions. Gaming industry experts remain skeptical about the real reasons behind the delay. The revenue targets that would trigger the bonus payment appear increasingly difficult to reach with the 2026 release date.
