Subnautica 2 Development Team Risks Losing $250 Million Bonus Due to Surprise Delay

Unknown Worlds, the acclaimed developers behind the much-anticipated sequel, Subnautica 2, may miss a staggering $250 million payout following a delay in the game’s release until 2026. This postponement has arisen despite the preferences of the studio’s founders.

Initially slated for a 2025 launch, the sequel’s release was pushed back by publisher Krafton to 2026. According to a recent report from Bloomberg, this change could translate to substantial financial losses for the team, with many developers potentially losing hundreds of thousands of dollars each.

Delayed Release: A Disappointment for the Development Team

The payoff was reportedly linked to achieving specific revenue targets for the upcoming year, which are now in jeopardy due to the delay of Subnautica 2.

This unwelcome development comes on the heels of significant leadership changes at Unknown Worlds. Co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, along with CEO Ted Gill, were recently relieved of their duties and replaced by Steve Papoutsis, the former CEO of Striking Distance, known for creating The Callisto Protocol.

In the aftermath of his ousting, Cleveland shed light on the situation, stating the delay was orchestrated by Krafton rather than the development team. In a heartfelt post on Reddit, he expressed, “We know that the game is ready for early access release and we know you’re ready to play it. And while we thought this was going to be our decision to make, at least for now, that decision is in Krafton’s hands. And after all these years, to find that I’m no longer able to work at the company I started stings.”

Subnautica 2 player scanning fish — Unknown Worlds

A leaked recording of a meeting, referenced by Bloomberg, reveals that the newly appointed CEO, Steve Papoutsis, addressed concerns about the delay. He claimed that the decision was not intended to circumvent the bonus payout: “While yes, the software that everybody worked on is in a great spot and it felt like, ‘Hey we should launch this, ’ that wasn’t where both parties aligned around.” He added, “It’s never been told to me that we’re making this change specifically to impact any earnout or anything like that.”

This controversy has sparked widespread debate among Subnautica 2 enthusiasts, with some fans even advocating to remove the game from their Steam wishlists. Despite this backlash, as of this writing, Subnautica 2 remains the second most-wished title on Steam, trailing only behind Hollow Knight: Silksong.

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