A judge has officially ordered the return of the original leadership at the studio behind Subnautica 2, ending a messy legal conflict that had stalled one of the most anticipated titles on Steam. The court ruled that the publisher, Krafton, must immediately reinstate CEO Ted Gill to his position at Unknown Worlds. This legal victory for the developers comes after a nine-month battle that saw the founders fired and the future of Subnautica 2 thrown into uncertainty.
The friction between the two companies began shortly after Krafton purchased Unknown Worlds back in 2021. As part of that deal, a massive performance-based bonus was on the table, which could have seen the development team earn up to $250 million if the studio hit specific financial goals by the end of 2025. To reach those numbers, the team had planned to launch Subnautica 2 in Early Access in late 2024 or early 2025, a window that would likely have triggered the payout. However, the relationship soured as the deadline approached, leading to a sudden corporate takeover that removed the very people who created the Subnautica franchise.
Krafton has come under fire for terminating the leadership team of Unknown Worlds, the...
