Subnautica 2 Delayed to 2026 Amid $250 Million Bonus Controversy and Leadership Shakeup

Subnautica 2 (Image credit: Unknown Worlds/Krafton)

Subnautica 2 will no longer launch in 2025, as Krafton has reportedly delayed the game's early access release to 2026.

The delay comes just days after a major leadership overhaul at developer Unknown Worlds, which saw the sudden departure of co-founder Charlie Cleveland, CTO Max McGuire, and CEO Ted Gill.

According to a new report by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, the decision to delay the game wasn’t just about development readiness — it may have also impacted a hefty $250 million bonus payout. That payout was meant to be distributed to the team at Unknown Worlds if the studio met specific revenue targets by the end of 2025. With the new release window pushed into 2026, those financial goals are now out of reach.

The former leadership reportedly intended to share that money across the entire team, which currently consists of around 100 employees. Schreier notes that staff who were with the studio at the time Krafton acquired it in 2021 were eligible for bonuses ranging from hundreds of thousands to even seven figures.

Insiders told Bloomberg that the delay was made against the wishes of the former leadership, who believed Subnautica 2 was ready for an early access launch this year. In contrast, new CEO Steve Papoutsis told employees that the extra time would be used to polish and add more content to the game. However, when asked during a company meeting whether the delay was made specifically to avoid triggering the bonus payout, Papoutsis reportedly said he wasn't “familiar with the specifics.”

Adding more intrigue, Charlie Cleveland took to Reddit to challenge Krafton’s decision. In his post on July 5, he stated the game was indeed ready for early access and implied that the delay wasn’t just a creative call.

Krafton, known for titles like PUBG, acquired Unknown Worlds in 2021, initially promising to let the studio operate independently. But with the recent leadership overhaul and the timing of this delay, those assurances are now being questioned by fans and industry watchers alike.

The new timeline means fans will have to wait at least another year before diving back into Subnautica’s deep-sea mysteries. Subnautica 2 is currently in development for PC and Xbox Series X|S, with a planned launch on Game Pass. The sequel is expected to expand on the series with four-player co-op, a brand-new planet, and fresh underwater biomes.

For now, though, it seems Unknown Worlds will be navigating more than just alien oceans — they’re also dealing with rough internal waters stirred up by corporate decisions, financial stakes, and conflicting visions for the game’s future.