Krafton has extended the bonus period worth $25 million for the developers of Subnautica 2, following a delay in the game’s release and a brewing legal dispute. This move comes after the game’s launch was postponed to 2026, stirring up tensions between Krafton and the studio’s former leadership.
The story starts with Krafton acquiring Unknown Worlds, the creators of Subnautica, in 2021 for a hefty $500 million. An extra $250 million will be paid out in 2026 if certain performance milestones are met. Trouble began when two co-founders and the CEO of Unknown Worlds were fired before that payout, coinciding with the announcement that Subnautica 2 would be delayed until 2026.
Krafton insists the delay wasn’t financially motivated and accused the former leadership of “abandoning” their duties. The fired executives didn’t take that lightly and responded by suing Krafton. Things got even messier when an internal development document leaked online, revealing details of the dispute.
Krafton Extends Bonus Period Due to Subnautica 2 Delay
According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, 10% of the potential $250 million payout was allocated for 40 employees at Unknown Worlds. When Krafton announced the delay, employees feared they might lose out on those bonuses if the targets couldn’t be met. To ease concerns, Krafton agreed to extend the bonus period to accommodate the delay.
Also, Krafton promised to advance part of the projected 2026 profit-sharing bonus to the Unknown Worlds team this year.
