Bubbling beneath the surface
What began as a peaceful evolution of a celebrated survival hit has turned into a tangible conflict. Subnautica 2 It’s no longer just about monsters in the deep – it’s about power, money and violated trust.
It quickly became clear that there was more at play here than just creative differences. The suspicion circulated in the community that Krafton wanted to avoid a contractually agreed bonus payment of around 250 million dollars with the postponement. The reaction was not long in coming: The first calls for a boycott made the rounds, the review bombing was imminent.
Krafton tried to calm things down and spoke publicly of a “qualitative new start”. Development should be strengthened, not punished. However, the publisher’s next move quickly ruined this tone – and caused the next tremor.
Subnautica 2 turns into a legal battle
In a new, unequivocal statement, Krafton followed up: The dismissed developers had neglected their management duties for months, missed deadlines and did not advance the game’s content enough. Charlie Cleveland in particular was sharply attacked: instead of working on the game, he had pursued a private film project.
Cleveland himself reacted promptly – and sensationally. He announced on Reddit that he was now taking legal action against Krafton He spoke of an “explosive time” and emphasized that Subnautica 2 in his opinion, was ready for Early Access long ago. There could be no question of a voluntary withdrawal.
His statement that Krafton’s presentation of the bonus distribution was completely distorted was particularly serious. He firmly rejected the accusations that he and two colleagues had usurped millions. The team had always acted in solidarity, profits had been shared regularly – and that was exactly what was planned now.
Whether and how the lawsuit will affect the future course of Subnautica 2 remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: this drama has long since left the game – and is now playing out in the courts.