Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds’ parent company, Krafton, has issued another statement, this time confirming that an internal milestone document leaked online is authentic.
As Matt explained for us last week, Subnautica 2 became the unexpected focus of industry drama last week when Krafton announced it was ‘replacing’ three key members of Unknown Worlds’ leadership team – including studio founder and original Subnautica director Charlie Cleveland – with Steve Papoutsis, CEO of The Callisto Protocol studio Striking Distance. At the time, Krafton insisted it had “sought to keep the… co-founders and original creators of the Subnautica series involved in the game’s development”, despite their departure.
Fan pushback was swift, and the situation only grew murkier after Bloomberg reported Cleveland, as well as Unknown Worlds’ chief executive officer Ted Gill and special projects director Max McGuire, had all been “pushed out” amid Krafton’s sudden decision to shift Subnautica 2’s early access launch from its announced “2025” window into 2026.
It was also claimed the move – which Unknown Worlds’ ousted leadership reportedly did not support – would mean the studio was unlikely to meet the revenue targets that would unlock a promised $250m bonus for the development team. Shortly thereafter, developer Unknown Worlds’ ousted leaders announced legal action against Krafton.
Then, just ahead of the weekend, pages from an internal review document also popped up online. According to the leaker, it “clearly shows the state of the development progress and why Krafton and the Subnautica team disagreed on the release schedules”.
The document purports to show where the development of Subnautica 2 was deemed to be versus expectation at this point in the development cycle. It criticises the as-is position, saying “while the game includes a variety of content, it currently lacks the freshness and volume expected of a sequel”, and “falls short of meeting the high expectations of the OWSC and the Asian market”. It also clearly states it expects a “content volume increase of over 30 percent compared to v1.0”.
At the bottom of the second slide, the author – which remains unknown – states: “compared to the originally planned EA launch specifications, the current target content volume has been reduced or adjusted across various elements such as biomes, creatures, equipment/progression, and features. Due to a gap between the current state and the content volume assumed during the initial launch planning, it is necessary to reassess the release timeline and roadmap”.
Rather than refute the leak, however, Krafton has confirmed the document is real, saying it was approving the credibility of the report because that would “minimi[se] speculation and ensur[e] accurate communication with players”.
A leak from a credible source regarding the milestone review of Subnautica 2
byu/Complete_Bread_4924 inSubnautica_2
“Krafton is issuing the following statement in response to growing speculation surrounding the development of Subnautica 2,” Krafton said in a statement to Eurogamer. “This statement aims to offer clarity and context regarding the current situation.
“The document that has been circulating on social media and reported by various outlets is indeed part of an internal milestone review conducted as part of the Subnautica 2 project. Krafton has confirmed that portions of it have been leaked and are now being widely shared across online platforms and within the fan community. Krafton recognises the confusion this has caused.
“Given these circumstances, Krafton has determined that transparent communication is necessary and has chosen to confirm the authenticity of the document,” the publisher added. “Krafton believes that minimising speculation and ensuring accurate communication with players must take precedence.
“Milestone reviews are conducted regularly in collaboration with Krafton’s creative studios across all projects. These reviews help assess development progress, define clear objectives, and ensure that each project aligns with Krafton’s standards in both creativity and quality. This process is central to Krafton’s commitment to delivering polished, high-quality games at the right time.
The statement closed with Krafton’s claim that it will “continue working closely with Unknown Worlds to ensure that Subnautica 2 meets the expectations of players who have supported the franchise over the years.”
There has, as yet, been no formal response from the former leadership team.
Source link