Krafton has postponed the release of Subnautica 2 to 2026

The launch of Subnautica 2 has been postponed until next year, as Unknown Worlds seeks additional time to address feedback from its community.

According to Eurogamer, Krafton, the parent company of Unknown Worlds, indicated that the decision to delay occurred before recent changes in leadership.

The delay is attributed to Krafton's focus on quality and ensuring the best gameplay experience, with no connections to contractual or monetary factors, as per their statement.

A Bloomberg review mentioned a purchase agreement suggesting a $250 million bonus for reaching specific revenue goals within the year.

Insiders revealed plans by the former leadership to distribute this financial reward among the studio's staff.

Employees from the time of Krafton's acquisition were reportedly eligible for bonuses ranging from significant amounts to over a million dollars.

The matters were addressed by Steve Papoutsis, Unknown World's new CEO, during a company meeting also reviewed by Bloomberg.

Papoutsis stated that although the game was nearly ready for launch, both Krafton and the studio agreed to delay to ensure the best early access version.

He noted unfamiliarity with the exact details of the financial agreement and clarified that the timing change was not discussed in the context of affecting any financial payout.

Earlier, Charlie Cleveland, a co-founder and former creative director of Unknown Worlds, described his unexpected exit as surprising.

Cleveland, who departed with other key figures like CEO Ted Gill and CTO Max McGuire, emphasized his belief that game release decisions rested with the team, although Krafton now holds that authority.