Subnautica 2 is formally delayed to 2026, writer Krafton has confirmed to IGN. The information follows a report that claimed the delay could value the growth staff a $250 million bonus.
Krafton, the Korean firm behind smash hit battle royale PUBG, acquired the $500 million-valued Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds in October 2021. At the time, Krafton insisted Unknown Worlds would proceed to function as an unbiased outfit. Following its announcement, the hotly anticipated Subnautica 2 was set for an early entry launch later in 2025.
Nevertheless, final week, Unknown Worlds founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, and CEO Ted Gill, had been changed by former Putting Distance CEO, Steve Papoutsis, in a shakeup that shocked the Subnautica neighborhood and sparked concern over the sequel’s future.
Cleveland subsequently revealed on Reddit that whereas he and his colleagues believed Subnautica 2 was “prepared for early launch… that call is in Krafton’s arms.” Krafton issued a neighborhood replace of its personal, suggesting a delay was incoming.
Then, earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Subnautica 2 was delayed to 2026 — simply months earlier than it was as a result of pay a $250 million bonus to the growth staff. Bloomberg added that the delay was “in opposition to the needs of the studio’s former management,” and that the $250 million bonus would have kicked in if Unknown Worlds hit sure income targets by the finish of 2025. With out Subnautica 2 popping out this yr, hitting these income targets is unlikely, and the bonus gained’t be paid out.
Per Bloomberg:
Unknown Worlds’ management deliberate to share the extra cash with all of the studio’s workers, which quantity round 100. Workers who had been at the firm at the time of the acquisition had been informed they had been eligible for bonuses starting from tons of of 1000’s of {dollars} to seven figures, the individuals stated.
Now, Krafton has made Subnautica 2’s delay to 2026 official, however in a press release to IGN, it insisted the choice had nothing to do with “any contractual or monetary issues.” As an alternative, Krafton claimed, the delay was about responding to suggestions from playtests, and delay talks had been already underneath dialogue earlier than Cleveland, McGuire, and Gill had been outed.
Right here’s Krafton’s assertion in full:
Throughout playtests for Subnautica 2, we obtained priceless suggestions from our neighborhood that bolstered our confidence in the recreation’s course. At the identical time, the suggestions highlighted a number of areas that would profit from additional refinement earlier than launch.
As neighborhood voices play a central function in how we form our video games, we’ve made the choice to provide the growth staff extra time to implement that suggestions and ship a extra full expertise. Consequently, Subnautica 2’s Early Entry launch has been rescheduled for 2026.
This choice was primarily based solely on our dedication to high quality and to delivering the very best expertise for gamers. It was not influenced by any contractual or monetary issues. Moreover, the choice had already been underneath dialogue previous to current management modifications at the studio.
For followers, the look forward to Subnautica 2 goes on.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You possibly can attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.