Krafton has submitted new documents as it continues its legal battle to persuade the court to order a forensic examination of the devices belonging to the former founders of Unknown Worlds

The ongoing legal battle between Krafton and the former leadership of Unknown Worlds, developers of Subnautica 2, continues to escalate. Recently, Krafton submitted additional legal filings following the successful blocking of their request for a protective order compelling the company’s founders to surrender their devices for forensic analysis.

Documents now available to GamesIndustry.biz illustrate that post the September 12 hearing, Krafton filed a motion requesting relief and contesting the founders’ demand for compliance. This package included an affidavit from an expert at Alvarez & Marsal's Forensic Technology Services, who was brought in by Krafton to assist with the evaluation of electronically stored information pertinent to the case.

An earlier legal complaint made public in July detailed allegations by Unknown Worlds’ former leadership, accusing Krafton of attempting to sidestep a $250 million bonus payout. The bonus was tied to revenue targets associated with the 2025 Early Access debut of Subnautica 2, and it was claimed Krafton used tactics to deliberately delay the game’s release.

Fighting back, Krafton alleged that three former leaders attempted to bypass them by self-publishing Subnautica 2, effectively excluding Krafton from the venture's backing and promotion. This prompted Krafton to dismiss them, accompanied by allegations that Max McGuire, Ted Gill, and Charlie Cleveland had downloaded large volumes of company data before their departure, a charge they adamantly refute, arguing that the narrative around their dismissal has shifted during the litigation.

The expert affidavit indicated that there was a notable surge in download activities during June and July 2025, including entire folders from Google Drive being copied. However, the founders have maintained their actions were within their rights as directors of the company, refuting any accusations of misconduct.

In Krafton’s recent filings, they reiterated that they had proposed extending the earnout period should the key personnel choose to return to their roles. The company claimed these individuals not only declined the offer but also took confidential documents in anticipation of independently releasing Subnautica 2.

A Krafton representative told GamesIndustry.biz that their latest documents continue to uncover wrongdoing by the former executives. Despite efforts to negotiate, the ex-leaders chose not to rejoin the firm and allegedly took valuable resources, harming the company’s interests. The spokesperson emphasized that their priority is ensuring Subnautica fans receive the quality experience they deserve while legal proceedings continue to unveil how obligations were breached.

For more on this ongoing case, explore our timeline of events here.