Subnautica 2 Early Access Launch Triggers $250 Million Bonus Dispute

Unknown Worlds released Subnautica 2 in early access on 2026-04-??. Sales data show 1 million units sold within an hour (source 1) and 1 million copies by the morning with roughly 500,000 Steam players on day one (source 3). The sales meet the revenue clause that would trigger Krafton’s $250 million bonus to the developer’s staff.

Krafton Will Likely Have to Pay $250 Million Bonus for Subnautica 2 That It Tried to Avoid

Krafton bought Unknown Worlds in 2021. The purchase agreement set a $69.8 million revenue target; sales above that would trigger a $3.12 per-dollar payout up to a $250 million cap. The bonus was due by the end of 2025. A court-ordered delay made that deadline unattainable. In 2024 a Delaware judge ordered Krafton to re-hire founder Ted Gill and extend the bonus deadline to 15 September 2026, with an option to extend to March 2027 upon notice.

Krafton Will Likely Have to Pay $250 Million Bonus for Subnautica 2 That It Tried to Avoid

Key participants include Unknown Worlds Entertainment (?100 staff), publisher Krafton led by CEO Changhan Kim, founder Ted Gill (re-hired by court order), Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier, and the presiding judge.

Sure Seems Like Subnautica 2’s Developers Are Going To Get Their $250 Million Bonus

Krafton’s spokesperson said the company is “focused on successfully supporting the Early Access launch of Subnautica 2” and offered no further comment. The presiding judge extended the bonus deadline to mid-September 2026 and allowed an additional extension to early 2027.

Krafton Will Likely Have to Pay $250 Million Bonus for Subnautica 2 That It Tried to Avoid

Legal filings label Krafton’s conduct “obstructionist,” citing the publisher’s use of ChatGPT to avoid the bonus. Krafton also terminated Unknown Worlds’ CEO and co-founders, actions linked to the delayed release. The judge called these tactics attempts to void the agreement.

Krafton Will Likely Have to Pay $250 Million Bonus for Subnautica 2 That It Tried to Avoid

Sources differ on the 1 million-unit milestone—one cites sales within an hour, another cites sales by the following morning. The deadline extension is described as both “mid-September 2026” and “15 September 2026.” As of April, Krafton no longer appeared as Subnautica 2’s publisher on Steam, leaving the current arrangement unclear.

Krafton Will Likely Have to Pay $250 Million Bonus for Subnautica 2 That It Tried to Avoid

• “Krafton is currently focused on successfully supporting the Early Access launch of Subnautica 2. We have nothing further to share at this time.” — Krafton spokesperson

Sure Seems Like Subnautica 2’s Developers Are Going To Get Their $250 Million Bonus

• “Safe to say Krafton will be forced to pay out the $250 million bonus it tried very hard (via advice of ChatGPT) to avoid paying,” — Jason Schreier, Bloomberg

Sure Seems Like Subnautica 2’s Developers Are Going To Get Their $250 Million Bonus

• “In Schreier’s 2025 report on the Subnautica 2 delay that prompted the whole legal saga, he wrote: Unknown Worlds’ leadership planned to share the additional money with all of the studio’s employees, which number around 100.” — Jason Schreier, 2025 report

Sure Seems Like Subnautica 2’s Developers Are Going To Get Their $250 Million Bonus

• “Further, the judge overseeing the case determined that the publisher had engaged in obstructionist tactics in an effort to avoid the promised bonus.” — Presiding judge

Krafton Will Likely Have to Pay $250 Million Bonus for Subnautica 2 That It Tried to Avoid

The extended deadline gives Unknown Worlds months to meet the revenue target before the September 2026 cutoff. If met, Krafton must pay the $250 million bonus, likely to the studio’s ~100 staff. Future filings may address the optional March 2027 extension.

Krafton Will Likely Have to Pay $250 Million Bonus for Subnautica 2 That It Tried to Avoid