To most players, Subnautica 2 is one of 2026’s hottest survival games after over four million players jumped into its dangerous waters and found an iterative but engrossing sequel. If you’ve been keeping tabs on its long development, however, you know about the legal dispute between Krafton and Unknown Worlds’ leadership. Now, the publisher has agreed to finally pay promised bonuses to all staffers.
Bloomberg shared the news alongside the shocker that Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill is leaving the developer again. As a refresher, Krafton tried to avoid paying an earnout bonus to Unknown Worlds’ leadership as well as those inside the studio during the 2021 acquisition by the publisher. In late May 2026, the giant was forced into paying the promised $250m bonus after the game instantly became a smash hit on PC and Xbox.
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Subnautica 2 – Official Early Access Gameplay TrailerWatch on YouTube
According to Bloomberg’s report, Gill’s second departure has been mutually agreed, as he believes “new leadership is the best way for the studio to move forward”. Though specifics weren’t shared, Gill also added the developers “will be ‘compensated significantly more’ than called for under the original acquisition agreement and will receive ‘further incentives’ as the game continues to be updated”.
The new bonus agreement – probably shaped by the legal ruling against Krafton back in March that reinstated Gill and the rest of the leadership – ensures “everyone at the studio will receive a payout, even those who joined more recently” through annual instalments.
Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds for $500m back in 2021. At the time of writing, Subnautica 2 might have crossed five million copies sold already in spite of also launching day one via Xbox and PC Game Pass. No PS5 or Switch 2 versions have been announced yet.
