Is Subnautica 2 under threat? Krafton ceased to be the publisher of the game after the trial and scandal

It seems that the conflict between Unknown Worlds studio and Krafton led to a painful result — Subnautica 2 was left without a publisher. In any case, this is hinted at by the game's pages on Steam and other digital stores.

It all started in July 2025, after Krafton's decision to fire Ted Gill, head of Unknown Worlds. Formally, this was explained by the too long development of Subnautica 2. However, it soon became clear that this happened just before the team was paid a $250 million bonus, which was linked to the release of the game in early access.

The Unknown Worlds studio couldn't stand it, they sued Krafton and won the case. The publisher was ordered to reinstate Ted Gill, and the deadline for bonus payment was postponed until September 2026.

Krafton reacted negatively to the situation, saying that the company disagreed with the court's decision.

Now Krafton is no longer listed as the publisher of Subnautica 2 on all digital platforms. Considering everything that happened earlier, this can hardly be considered an accident.

We can only hope that the conflict between the developers and the publisher will not affect Subnautica 2. The game is scheduled to be released in Early Access in May 2026.

Do you think this situation will affect the quality of Subnautica 2?