Former Hanging Distance CEO, Steve Papoutsis, is becoming a member of Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds as CEO amid the shock announcement that the earlier management group — Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland, and Max McGuire — have been changed “efficient instantly.”
Unknown Worlds proprietor Krafton, which is behind PUBG, didn’t increase on why the management group had been gutted, however stated whereas it “sought to maintain the Unknown Worlds’ co-founders and authentic creators of the Subnautica sequence concerned in the sport’s improvement,” it “needs them nicely on their subsequent endeavors.”
Krafton insisted Papoutsis will “prioritize improvement momentum and delivering absolute best fan expertise” and “will deliver renewed vitality and momentum.” It’s unclear what the change means for the launch window of the sport.
Cleveland and Mcguire based the 24-year-old firm, whereas Gill joined virtually seven years in the past as president earlier than his promotion to CEO in August 2024. On the time of writing, all nonetheless checklist themselves as working at Unknown Worlds on LinkedIn, suggesting the change got here all of the sudden and with little warning.
“There’s nothing extra vital than the gamer expertise. Given the anticipation round Subnautica 2, we owe our gamers nothing lower than the absolute best sport, as quickly as attainable,” stated CH Kim, Krafton’s CEO.
“We’re thrilled Steve is becoming a member of us in our shared dedication at Krafton and Unknown Worlds to ship Subnautica 2 as a extra full and satisfying entry in the sequence — one that actually lives as much as participant expectations.”
Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds in October 2021. On the time, it said the Sabnautica studio would proceed to function as an impartial outfit.
The brand new installment in the Subnautica sequence accommodates as much as 4 gamers, taking them to an all-new planet, full with new environments, flora, and fauna to find. We nonetheless do not know when it is coming, however you’ll dive in someday later in 2025 on PC and Xbox Sequence X and S, together with on Sport Move for top-tier subscribers.
We thought predecessor Subnautica was superb, awarding it a 9.1, writing: “Subnautica’s a survival sport with focus and a superb sci-fi story, however its biggest achievement is its underwater horror.” The final sport in the sequence, Subnautica: Under Zero, equally scored a formidable 9 out of ten in its IGN assessment.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, in addition to a critic, columnist, and guide with 15+ years expertise working with among the world’s greatest gaming websites and publications. She’s additionally a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually Excessive Chaos. Discover her at BlueSky.