Krafton has formally announced Subnautica 2's delay to 2026, confirming earlier reports about the postponed release potentially costing the development team a substantial $250 million bonus package.
Behind the Delay
Krafton, the Korean publisher behind PUBG and parent company of Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds since 2021's $500 million acquisition, maintains the studio continued operating independently. Originally slated for early access in 2025, the sequel's release window has now extended by a full year.
The delay follows major leadership changes at Unknown Worlds, where founders Charlie Cleveland, Max McGuire, and CEO Ted Gill were recently replaced by former Striking Distance CEO Steve Papoutsis. Cleveland later revealed on Reddit that while the team believed Subnautica 2 was "prepared for early access," the final call rested with Krafton.
The $250 Million Question
According to Bloomberg's report, the postponed release crucially impacts what would have been a $250 million bonus payout to the 100-person team if certain 2025 revenue targets had been met. Former leadership reportedly intended to distribute these funds across all employees, with individual bonuses ranging from six to seven figures.
"Unknown Worlds' leadership planned to share the additional money with all employees, with long-term staff potentially receiving life-changing bonuses between hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars."
Official Response
Krafton insists the delay stems purely from playtester feedback requiring additional development time, completely separate from financial considerations. The publisher maintains these discussions predated the executive shakeup.
Full statement to IGN:
"Our playtest feedback confirmed Subnautica 2's strong potential while revealing opportunities for further refinement. We're delaying the Early Access launch to 2026 to implement these improvements and deliver the highest quality experience.
This decision reflects our commitment to quality and wasn't influenced by contractual obligations. These discussions began prior to recent leadership changes at Unknown Worlds."
Fans of the underwater survival series now face a longer wait, while questions remain about the studio's creative direction under new leadership.
