What the hell is going on with Subnautica 2?
Here is a 200-word summary of the news article: The future of Subnautica 2 is in turmoil due to a messy conflict between its developer, Unknown Worlds, and its parent company, Krafton. The dispute centers around a $250 million bonus payment tied to the game's performance goals. In 2021, Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds for $500 million, with the potential for an additional $250 million payout if certain targets were met by 2025. However, Krafton recently fired Unknown Worlds' founders and CEO, and delayed the game's early access launch until 2026, putting the bonus at risk. The ousted leaders have now filed a lawsuit against Krafton, claiming the company intentionally sabotaged the game's development to avoid the bonus payment. Krafton, on the other hand, accused the former executives of abandoning the project in favor of personal pursuits. The lawsuit provides a timeline of the growing tensions, alleging that Krafton started looking for ways to delay the launch and remove the leadership after being presented with the studio's positive revenue projections and bonus expectations. Krafton has since offered to extend the bonus period and provide advance payments to employees, seemingly in an effort to resolve the dispute. The core issue remains whether Subnautica 2 is genuinely ready for an early access launch, and the high-stakes financial implications of that decision.
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